


Silver Streams and Dark Skies

by Dark_Sea_Dragon, h2hoe



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Durmstrang Viktor Nikiforov, Durmstrang Yuri Plisetsky, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Harry Potter AU, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Phichit is a supportive best friend, RP Turned Fic, Ravenclaw Otabek Altin, SLYTHERIN YUURI KATSUKI, Slow Burn, Some angst, These nerds are oblivious bless them, Viktor is 17 and full of himself, Yuuri is 16 w/anxiety, cute dates, some OCs for plot sake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2018-12-14 09:56:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 54,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11780748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Sea_Dragon/pseuds/Dark_Sea_Dragon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/h2hoe/pseuds/h2hoe
Summary: Yuuri Katsuki is a 6th year at Hogwarts, a proud member of the Slytherin house despite his shy and anxious exterior. When he knocks the famous Durmstrang captain off his broom during a match, Yuuri is whisked into an adventure no amount of breathing techniques could have prepared him for. And with the Tri-Wizard Tournament coming up, he's got more things to worry about than how pretty Viktor's eyes look when he looks at him...or how happy he seems when they're together...this was going to be a long school year.RP with mich-aela on tumblr! She is a WONDERFUL writer and we've been working on this for a few weeks! Viktuuri, slow-burn, some angst with a happy ending, hurt/comfort, a journey of self-love for Yuuri Katsuki and a journey of finding life and love for Viktor! Thank you so much for reading!





	1. Dancing in the Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [h2hoe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/h2hoe/gifts).



> Hi! Welcome to "Silver Streams and Dark Skies"! Please note that this is an AU, and it is Hogwarts set in modern day, 2017. We have taken some creative liberty in how we think technology would be used and how the curriculum would have evolved in twenty years! OCs are used for the sake of plot, there are lots of magical creatures and not enough YOI characters! 
> 
> Chapters will update once a week hopefully! Feel free to comment, subscribe, and leave kudos! It's greatly appreciated! And we hope you enjoy the story~
> 
> [[note that bc this is based from a roleplay, the story is going to be in third-person omniscient, w/ both Yuuri's and Viktor's pov]]

            Yuuri Katsuki, sixth year at Hogwarts, Slytherin house. That had been his title since he first walked through those doors five years ago. He was sixteen, soon to be seventeen come late November. He always hated that he could never celebrate his birthday at home, but at least now he had a surprise for his family. This year was it, he was finally something worthwhile in his opinion. He was a seeker. He had done it. After practicing hard on his own, learning terminology and proving himself to the Quidditch team he was able to make it in, and since the old seeker had graduated, he had appointed Yuuri to be his replacement after Yuuri had spent a few years on the team. He had proved fast and talented on the broom, steady and reliable. The team Captain, Michele Crispino, had no problem appointing him to the position.

            “Just don’t mess it up, you know? Got a lot of girls to impress and we can’t have a seeker who can’t seek.” He had threatened. But Yuuri had assured him it was fine. Though he was a little anxious…he hoped he wouldn’t mess up.

            Today was his first game against Durmstrang, he had been helping Slytherin take home quite a few wins, and today he was going to prove to them that he wasn’t just some average wizard. Because on that team was the one person Yuuri had admired since he was young, the wizard who was perfect in every sense of the word. And Yuuri was going to beat him, he was going to bring home the gold for his team and make himself known! No longer would Hogwarts see him as someone replaceable or not worthy! The whistle blew, and he was off, today was his day.

 

\---1 Game Later---

 

            Yuuri had felt so stupid, he had been so focused on getting the snitch. It was his job...but it was common sense to be aware of other flyers around you lest you cause a collision. And at sixty feet in the air? That could be deadly. And it almost was. Yuuri had been reaching for the snitch when he ran straight into the one and only Viktor Nikiforov, captain of the Russian Quidditch team of Durmstrang. He watched the man hang off his broom for a second before losing grip, the fear in his crystal blue eyes etched into his mind still.

            “Viktor Nikiforov of Durmstrang has fallen from his broom!” He had heard over the intercom.

            “If someone doesn’t stop his fall, it could prove deadly!” Yuuri had immediately abandoned his mission and dove down, breaking Viktor's fall and trying to catch him. But he had been hanging off his own broom with his legs hooked over the stick, arms gripping Viktor's uniform, and they both tumbled to the ground. Luckily Yuuri intervening had prevented any fatal injuries, and all the other had suffered was a dislocated shoulder and fractured wrist as well as some intense bruising. But it had still happened, and Yuuri had been at fault no matter how many times students and faculty alike had assured him it was just an accident and that "these things happen!". He himself had limped away with a twisted ankle and some bruises on his arm, but he quickly healed those once he had gotten back to his dorm room. He had checked on Viktor a few times, asking the nurses how he was doing. And apparently he was fine, no need to worry, that he'd be released by the end of the week. But he still felt unwavering guilt for what he had done. And so a little ritual began.

            For several mornings now, Viktor had woken up to cute little poems and notes at his bedside, assorted candies, fictional books about extravagant and faraway places, you name it. And yeah, while receiving "get-well" gifts weren't uncommon, as his bed was surrounded with balloons and coated with flowers, these gifts were different; more genuine than he'd expect. One would've almost thought that Viktor had won himself a lover during their short Hogwarts stay. The idea would have been plausible, only the notes were addressed from a particular "Yuuri Katsuki," who seemed to love the idea of being some mysterious figure that would never actually meet Viktor face-to-face. Viktor assumed that this was the man who'd accidentally knocked him off his broomstick at the match, and whom was too anxious to speak to him. But tonight, was different

            Yuuri was never good at confronting people, much less people he admired as if they were a god themselves. So approaching Viktor and apologizing seemed too daunting, instead: he would sneak into the wing at night and bring gifts. This was one of those nights. He snuck into the hospital wing, bringing another offering of forgiveness. Some gifts he had left included: chocolates, poems he had written himself, and some of his favorite books. Tonight he carried a little parcel wrapped in newspaper and tied with string, inside was some oven roasted and lightly salted chocolate covered almonds and other nuts that his friend Phichit had shared with him. He thought it would make Viktor happy. As he set it in his arms he went to stand up to leave when he felt a hand wrap around his wrist, cold but soft, his whole form freezing.

            Tonight, Viktor had lied awake in bed, only pretending to be sleeping. When he had heard soft footsteps approach his bed and the sound of the curtains sliding across metal railing, Viktor waited a moment before fluttering his eyes open to grab hold of the male's wrist, thereby preventing him from leaving. _Caught you,_ he thought victoriously.

            "Hello, Yuuri Katsuki," Viktor greeted in an upbeat tone, his head tilting slightly to the left. His long and flowing silver hair fell over his eyes some, and if Yuuri had seen it the boy would have fainted. He audibly gulped, was Viktor upset? Probably. Who wouldn’t be upset that some cocky seeker had knocked them off their broom and almost killed them?

            "Pleasure to finally meet you."

Yuuri slowly turned his head, Viktor didn't look upset at all...he wore a happy smile.

            "H-Hello, Viktor Nikiforov." He replied back quietly, turning and giving a respectful bow. He looked ethereal, even in hospital gowns. Yuuri wasn’t sure if he was blind to any flaws the other had, or if Viktor really did look this perfect, even when beaten up and bruised.  He blushed darkly, not knowing what to say, he had never thought the other would wake up. He always made sure to come when he was sure everyone else was asleep.

            "I-I um..yes. It really is a pleasure to meet you." He confessed, not making eye contact out of shyness.

            Yuuri was outstanding in many ways, but his anxiety always held him back. His professors knew he was powerful and cunning, yet he never showed it and passed with average grades, but there were a few things he did feel confident in...dancing spells from his homeland. He often used them to quell anxiousness, or for healing purposes. But he had never danced in front of others, too nervous to do so. Dancing spells of all kinds were his escape.

            "I hope you don't find me weird...I wasn't sure if you wanted to see me or not after I what I did. So I brought you gifts..." He knelt by Viktor's beside and grabbed his hand, looking up at him with wide eyes.

            "Please forgive me, Viktor! It was not my intention to injure you like this!" He begged.

            One second Yuuri had been standing up, knees shaking as he looked at Viktor, and the next, he was scrunched up by the bed, sputtering out apologies and practically begging for forgiveness. Viktor watched the other boy with subtle amusement, realizing that Yuuri had probably thought Viktor would be fuming with anger after hearing who was responsible for his fall at the Quidditch match. But, Viktor didn't mind it all too much; he was generally a forgiving (and quite forgetful) person who enjoyed living spontaneously. A broken bone or two was like a pebble on the road, and it was Quidditch, after all. He didn't expect to go injury-free forever. Viktor's gaze slowly trailed from their intertwined fingers to the pleading boy, and he quickly analyzed Yuuri's soft features; Yuuri had jet-black hair that looked somewhat messy at the moment, large, brown eyes that resembled rich dark-chocolate, and pale pink lips that reminded Viktor of rose buds. Yuuri's barely visible cheekbones were tinted a light red, and overall, his facial features described perfectly his first impression; innocent and slightly naive, but genuine and real.

            "Aha, are you sure about that?" Viktor teased in a low voice, squeezing the other's hand a touch tighter and leaning in.

            "After all... didn't you guys end up winning?" Viktor teased, making Yuuri blush more.

            Yuuri bit his lip some as Viktor stared at him for a moment, his eyes seeming to almost glow in the dark. The window let in the moonlight which gave him some view of his face, Viktor was smirking some. He looked like some other worldly being, perfect and beautiful even with injury.

            "N-No of course not! I'd never intentionally hurt you! I've cheered for you for so long!" He said, a small squeak escaping when Viktor leaned in close.

            "A-Ahh...Y-Yes we did win. The snitch was found in my robe...so technically it was on my person as the seeker and therefore we won the match." He explained, glancing down at their intertwined fingers. He hadn’t remembered grabbing the snitch. It was right in front of him sure…but when he had knocked Viktor over he had lowered his hand to steady himself so he didn’t fall too. So how the snitch ended up in the sleeve of his robe was a mystery unto him.

            "Viktor are you mad?" Yuuri asked, raising his gaze once more.

            Viktor looked at the other intently for a second, in deep thought. He concluded that: a) he could merely tell the truth, and say that he didn't really care at all. (Which was rather unlike him because he was never completely straightforward or serious.) Or, he could b) not be completely forward and mess around a bit. It was obvious the latter choice was a hundred times more appealing in his mind.

            “Hm." Victor let out a huff, doing a small pout. "I don't like losing, _Yuuuri_..." He drawled out the boy's name playfully, enjoying the moment.

            "Should I be mad?" He asked, looking to the pile of gifts Yuuri had given him over time.

            Yuuri felt himself grow a little nervous under the other's intense stare, eyes seeming to freeze him in place as he squirmed some.

            "I-I um...I hope you can forgive me." He squeaked out, and looked up at him when Viktor began speaking. The way he said his name sounded like music, and it made Yuuri's heart stutter. At the question of if Viktor should be mad, Yuuri bit his lip.

            "I don't know...I guess I wouldn't be mad at someone for injuring me on accident...but I just wanted to make up for it. You're the captain, someone important, someone hard to come by. If I had injured you gravely, or made it so you couldn't play again.." He trailed off, the rest of the sentence pretty clear. Yuuri would have never forgiven himself. The seeker was also important, he knew that, but a seeker was easier to replace than a captain. It was then that Yuuri remembered why he had come here in the first place, and his eyes settled on the parcel he had placed on Viktor’s bedside.

            "Oh! The gift!" He picked up the parcel. "It's chocolate covered salted nuts...my friend brought them from home and shared them. I thought maybe they'd make your stay in the hospital wing more enjoyable." Was he talking too much? He probably was, he tended to ramble or go completely silent when nervous.

            Viktor eyed Yuuri carefully as he babbled on, wondering if he always acted this anxious, or if he just wasn't good at meeting new people. Either way, it was a little cute, and Viktor couldn't help but let the corners of his lips curve up into a small, coy smile. He gently took the box of chocolates from Yuuri, setting them on the nightstand on the other side of his bed, before looking back at the boy.

            "This hospital wing is distressingly morbid. But, I'll forgive you," Viktor began, giving Yuuri a smug nod. He paused for a moment for the sake of a dramatic effect, before scooting over to place his mouth right beside Yuuri's ear (the tips of which were extremely red, he noticed).

            "If we sneak out of here, you'll give me a little tour of this ancient school, right?" He whispered and leaned back again, mustering up the best puppy-dog look he could manage in the middle of the night, with discolored bruises decorating his forehead and cheeks. Yuuri gave a nervous glance around, as if expecting to be caught any moment. But he took a deep breath and nodded, looking back at him.

            “Sure…I-I guess I can show you some stuff.”

            At Yuuri's answer of approval, Viktor's ocean-blue irises lit up enthusiastically, the color flashing brightly in contrast to the dim glow of the single lamp beside them. _Finally!_ Viktor thought happily. He could get out of this dull place, with the seemingly endless grey walls and repetitive tiled floors.

            "Of course, Mr. Katsuki!" He replied in a whisper-shout, straining the nickname. He grabbed onto Yuuri's hand, standing up a bit too quickly and feeling his legs wobble slightly from his lack of motion the past few days. Yuuri frowned seeing him wobble, and his arms went around him to keep him steady for a moment. He couldn’t help the small tug of his lips, Viktor sounded so happy…it made him feel a little better about what had happened.

            “…careful.” He warned, and stepped back so Viktor could get ready.

            "A-And you can just call me Yuuri. It sounds nice when you say it." He said softly, blushing. Viktor looked around the area for a moment, before his eyes found his favorite dark grey fur coat, which he slipped into swiftly. He felt a small lump in the pocket, and figured it to be his wand, much to his relief. He had a bad habit of often misplacing his wand after Quidditch tournaments.

            "Okay..." Viktor said once he was ready. He pulled the other boy behind him, quickly tip-toeing out of the hospital wing. "Where to?'

            When they got out Yuuri looked around, he really didn't want to get caught...

            "First thing is first." He turned and took out his wand. "...Not sure if this will work, but I've been practicing it from classes. It'll make whatever sounds we make impossible to hear. I would just turn your coat invisible...but I'm terrible at those spells." He said shyly, and cleared his throat.

            He pointed his wand at Viktor, taking his hand so the spell knew to include him too before giving a sharp- " _Muffliato_!" and flinching as a bright light sparked from the wand, a quick dome like barrier forming around them before disappearing. Yuuri's eyes widened.

            "...I-It worked!" He said, beginning to grin and jump up and down some.

            Viktor glanced at Yuuri with equal excitement at his success, giving him a few vigorous pats on the back. Yuuri stumbled a bit from the pats, having not expected them, but he giggled some happily.

            "Now nobody will hear us~ We just have to make sure no one sees us now." Yuuri said proudly, and watched as Viktor's attention was taken elsewhere

            "Great, great!" Viktor hummed approvingly, before his eyes trailed off to the large windows across the hallway, and his mind drifted to new ideas. He hurriedly made his way over, his hair gliding freely behind him.

            The night sky at Hogwarts was mesmerizing- Durmstrang was hidden away by miles of cloud and intimidating towers, so the sight of a pure, undiluted clear night was extremely rare. But here- here, the vast space above them was breathtakingly gorgeous. It was late at night, but there was a whole sea of stars, a shade of blue so brilliant Viktor couldn't help but ponder if this was reality, or just a dream. He leaned as close to the glass as he could, rendered starry-eyed just by watching the twinkles above him.

            "Hey, Yuuri," He finally murmured, still not completely out of the trance that the view had put him under. "Let's go out there!"

            Yuuri had followed Viktor over, noticing the other staring at the night sky. Yuuri couldn't blame him, it was beautiful and so different from the skies in Japan but just as full of stars. He gazed at Viktor shyly, took in how the moonlight reflected _just so_ off of Viktor's skin and hair, how it made his eyes illuminate. He snapped out of it when Viktor said he wanted to go outside, and the other chuckled.

            "Sure...we can't go to my favorite spot outside right now...nighttime is dangerous. But I can show you my favorite place to star-gaze?" He offered. He led him through the castle and up the changing stairs, and after a while he found the door he was looking for. The door to the viewing tower nobody used for security anymore because the tower couldn't see over the renovations made to Hogwarts. There was also an entrance outside and on every floor, but the only two Yuuri could unlock without people really noticing was the door on fifth floor and the door outside. He leaned close and got out his wand.

            " _Alohomora_." He whispered, and smiled when the lock clicked open as usual. He opened the door and took Viktor's hand, leading him in and shutting the door behind them quietly before walking up the swirling stairs with him.

            " _Lumos_..." He hummed, creating a light at the tip of his wand so he could see. He didn't want to trip over his robe. At the top he smiled and opened the door, holding it open for Viktor.

            "You can see the sky for miles up here if you look south." He said fondly.

            Viktor walked through the door slowly, responding with a grateful gaze. And almost immediately, he found himself completely surrounded by the night sky he'd just seen, but somehow even better, a million times clearer. His eyes wandered around the small tower, enchanted by the soothing and serene aura it seemed to radiate. It made him jealous of Hogwarts students; they had something this beautiful, and yet it probably wasn't even appreciated enough. If Viktor had access to a viewing tower like this, he'd definitely use it to his advantage every night. Yuuri watched as Viktor stared at the sky, happy that he was enjoying himself. He looked up too, finding the constellations and remembering the stories he had learned as a child. After taking in the stars for far longer than he'd expected, Viktor craned his neck back to look at Yuuri.

            "Say," He started, wearing a curious expression on his face.

            "Tell me a little about yourself." His eyes scanned Yuuri up and down, noticing that the collar and hood of his Hogwarts robe was a deep green. Which house was that again? Though Viktor had visited this school year after year, his cruddy memory always got the best of him, and he wasn't sure if it was possible that Yuuri Katsuki was a part of Slytherin house.

            It wasn't until Viktor spoke again that Yuuri looked down, neck hurting a little.

            "Hm?" He blinked, and the question registered.

            "Oh! Um...well I'm pretty boring..." He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

             "My name is Yuuri Katsuki, I'm a sixth year, and I belong to the Slytherin House. A lot of people joke I don't belong there...but really, we're not that bad...I promise." He often got bullied for his house, but usually didn't talk about it. It didn't matter to him anyway, he couldn't change his house and he felt loyal to it, he was happy. He belonged.

            "Quidditch is my sport, I'm the newest seeker, the last one graduated and so dropped out for graduation reasons. I have a pet dog at home~ And an owl here for my mail, she's really sweet. You'd love her. I read a lot...write poems..." But he didn't mention the dancing, or that he still kept his family's magic and traditions alive when here at Hogwarts. Not a lot of people understood his magic, and were a little prejudice. Taking off his robe he laid it down before laying on top of it, looking at the stars again.

            "What about you, Viktor? Besides being the famous Durmstrang Captain...what makes you happy?" The whole time Yuuri had spoken about himself he had noticed Viktor's gaze, intense and searching. He just wished he knew what Viktor was looking for, because whatever it was he was sure he couldn't give it to him.

            Viktor watched Yuuri closely as he spoke, somehow unable to force his eyes away. The boy had said that he was "boring," but Viktor found him anything but. He spoke about his home life so comfortably and freely, Viktor swore he could feel the joy bouncing off onto him. The mere fact that Yuuri was in Slytherin told Viktor a lot about what kind of vibrant and mischievous personality he probably possessed, buried under layers of nerves and anxiety. There was also the fact that somebody so soft and gentle-looking like him, managed to play as seeker in Quidditch; hell, managed to knock Viktor off of his own broomstick and almost fall to his death. Nevertheless, Yuuri Katsuki intrigued him, to be honest. And for some strange reason, Viktor, who'd never really been interested in genuine friendships and who'd always just been put on a high pedestal since birth, _almost_ wanted to dive beneath Yuuri's superficial appearance and find the treasure underneath. Viktor raised an eyebrow at Yuuri's general question, thinking about all the possible and various answers he could give. Hm, it was a good question. What really did make him happy? As he thought, he sat down beside Yuuri, leaning his whole body weight on his palms and glancing upward at the sky.

            "Ah, to be honest," He said, his voice a bit distant. He hesitated for a second, and continued.

            "Being the captain doesn't really make me happy anymore." He slowly turned his head to look down at Yuuri, a paper smile planted on his face.

            "It was fun at first, getting all the attention, of course! But," He mumbled, shrugging. "It gets tiring. Y'know..." His voice trailed off gradually, and before he could dive any further into his pointless deep thoughts, he mentally slapped himself awake and changed the topic.

            "Anywaaay, though," He chirped, looking back up. "I like dogs, too. Ice, snow- winter, makes me overjoyed! And, needless to say, I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic."

            Viktor sat beside him, and he saw his face fall for a moment, which caused his own smile to fade some

            "Not happy...?" Yuuri asked, and didn't let him get away with the change of topic that easily.

            "Well...if you're not looking to do it professionally, what's stopping you from finding a different passion? You just need to look inside yourself and find what makes your heart sing and dance, motivation. A-At least that's what my mother says." He said, blushing lightly as he looked up at the stars again.

            "I like autumn and winter...colder months. Romantic months in my opinion...I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic too. I try not to dwell on it too much, just ends up making me sad in the end." Yuuri confessed and laughed some.

            "My friend Phichit _loves_ muggle inventions, so I guess I have interests in those too. Technology...computers...cameras...muggles are pretty creative. I'll have to show you, he takes lots of photos." He said, and felt himself shiver some as the breeze picked up. If he weren't sitting on his robe with Viktor he would put it back on.

            "You and your school are here for a while, aren't you?" He asked, looking back up at him.

            "The Tri-Wizard tournament is coming up in about a month. We have a few Quidditch matches coming up before that though...I-I hope we can hang out more? If that's alright with you." The raven-haired boy said, and bit the inside of his cheek.

            "I like this Viktor...the Captain Viktor just seems like an act now that I've met you. But I won't go easy on you just because I know you're not happy. Don't think I'll take pity during a match if you're not falling to your doom." Yuuri let a playful smirk rest on his lips for a moment, chuckling before he relaxed again. He felt pretty good in that moment...his anxiety was starting to ebb away.

            Despite Yuuri's challenging words and teasing smirk, Viktor felt a peculiar sense of victory— like he'd just uncovered bits and pieces of Yuuri's hidden competitive spirit. It was nice, just having a real conversation with someone like this, something Viktor probably hadn't done in a long while. He let Yuuri's words soak in, comprehending each syllable soothingly.

            "Oh, don't worry," Viktor responded, giving his signature charismatic wink and million-dollar smile that was probably barely visible in the unlit tower.

            "I'd definitely never purposely back down on a good competition." Viktor then proceeded to stand back up, clapping his hands together. That wink and smile made Yuuri blush and giggle some, and he was glad Viktor still wanted to compete.

            "Then I can't wait until our next match..." He said, and watched as Viktor stood. He hoped he hadn't weirded him out by saying he wanted to hang out with him. Yuuri was starting to enjoy his company, Viktor had this mysterious aura around him...maybe that was what drew people to him. But he wanted to see what made Viktor who he was, why he wasn’t happy with his life. He had everything...wealth, fame, popularity, he was everything Yuuri wasn't. And he admired him for it while others hated him for it. Yuuri was talking to his idol, sneaking him out in the middle of the night…it was like some dream he didn’t want to wake from. He wanted to keep dreaming with Viktor, and see what they could create.

            "And if you want to hang out—" The Russian said, taking hold of Yuuri's hand and pulling the him up off the ground—

            "then let's dance, here. Right now." Dancing wasn't something Victor did too often, to be frank. And he wasn't sure what kind of experience Yuuri had with it. But, if they were to spend any time together, the other male would have to learn about Viktor's sad, sad knowledge of personal space and how to deal with his overall touchy-feely attitude.

            Yuuri's eyes widened, hand in Viktor's after he had pulled him upright.

            "D-Dance?" He asked, face blushing a dark red. His chocolate eyes seemed to have a hint of red around the irises, the moonlight making it more prominent.

            "V-Viktor I-" The other stepped closer, and he gulped before nodding.

             "S-Sure..I don't have much experience...I-I usually don't go to dances." He confessed.

            "Um...I-I know a few basic dances, and more intricate ones from home. But perhaps you could lead me in a new dance? I'm a fast learner. Promise!"

            Viktor simply laughed in return, shrugging a bit as he slipped a hand around Yuuri's waist.

            “Actually, I don't usually dance either!” He said carelessly, using his free hand to grip onto Yuuri's, lifting his arm up.

            "Then...we'll learn together and create a new dance." Yuuri murmured hyly, letting the other lead.

            Viktor then pulled the other into a simple, waltz-like step sequence, the sounds of their shoes making a steady tapping noise against the hard floor. Yuuri easily kept up, and it was plain to see that the boy had danced many times before, like his legs took naturally to the moves. Viktor slowly increased speed until it wasn't exactly a slow dance anymore, but it wasn't a tango or anything either. They started moving faster, and Yuuri could hear the soft tapping of their feet and the soft humming of both of them. The moon-haired man pulled Yuuri along breathlessly; Viktor was almost manic, happy, his eyes buzzing with mischief and his whole body tingling. He was sure Yuuri's _Muffliato_ spell would be wearing off soon, and he was sure that he two of them were making quite a commotion for everybody below to hear. But in that moment, he couldn't have cared less; he was too caught up in the messy but somehow magical pleasantry that was dancing with Yuuri Katsuki.

            Yuuri dared to look up, and he felt himself grow lost in the icy eyes that were Viktor Nikiforov's. He let out a soft but blissful sigh, he was dancing with Viktor in an abandoned security tower...how sweet. Yuuri felt himself move differently, and he began to lead Viktor now, the patterns more smooth and free-styled. He soon pulled away from Viktor, smiling widely as he twisted his form and noticed small sparks of light coming from his finger tips whenever he twirled or flicked his wrist. He blushed and stopped, knowing the other had seen.

            "S-Sorry!" He huffed, catching his breath. "I-I got caught up in the moment, I uh...I-I do that sometimes...when I dance...it's a little embarrassing..." He mumbled sheepishly.

            Viktor's electric eyes widened and glimmered in the starlight as he saw the sparks flying off Yuuri's fingertips in every which direction.

            "...Wow!" He finally exclaimed after a long pause, quickly taking Yuuri's slightly smaller hand and holding it up, fascinated by the unique sight. It was like the sparklers that Viktor always used to play with as a child during festivals and parties in Russia, under the bright and vibrant glow of fireworks. Only, now it was coming, quite extraordinarily, from a boy's own fingers. It was truly gorgeous, and he found himself almost speechless. Viktor slowly shifted his gaze to meet Yuuri's wide, almond-shaped eyes, a grin creeping up onto his lips. His face was dimly lit up by the sparks, his expression soft but still extremely cheery.

            "That's amazing, Yuuri..." He said a bit breathlessly, still holding onto the other's hand.

            "Show me more!" He begged happily.

            Yuuri had been afraid of Viktor finding it odd, or even frightening. The sparks and lights couldn't hurt anyone though, they were just lights in themselves. It was something his family did, generations of Katsuki men and women did the "Dance of Light" for healing incantations, for entertainment or professions or love, prayers of protection and peace. But Viktor merely grabbed his hand, looking at it as if trying to figure out how he did it, eyes bright and excited as a grin spread across his face. _Show me more!_  He had exclaimed, and Yuuri gasped softly.

            "I-I've never danced in front of anyone except f-family..." He squeaked, and bit his lip. This was a one time opportunity...surely Viktor would find him too shy and not want to become friends after tonight? He was a worry-wart, riddled with anxiety, too stressful for a friend.

            "I can try...the lights won't hurt you, so don't be afraid if they come near." Yuuri explained, and stepped back. He made sure to have about five to seven feet between him and Viktor before taking a deep breath, hands shaking some. He wasn't confident, but Viktor was still injured, the bruises on his skin and soreness in his shoulder. It was the least he could do to help him….and then it hit Yuuri. A healing dance...that's what he needed. What better way to make it up to Viktor than to heal his injuries? And if there was one thing Yuuri knew he was good at, it was the “Dance of Light”. At home he even had caught the attention of an esteemed witch who danced magic for a living. Minako-Sensei was his teacher, having helped him use his body to channel magic and energy to heal and entertain, and Yuuri found peace within himself whenever he danced. He loved it, and no wand could ever replace the power he felt when he created magic from his fingertips.

            Yuuri closed his eyes, and raised his arms. He took his time getting into the movements, but after a few moments he felt the familiar tingle and rush of light swirling about him as he twisted and turned, bent and jumped. He drew kanji characters with his fingers, quick and practiced, spells for healing and to take away pain, and they surrounded Viktor and danced about him as well. The characters pressed into Viktor gently, absorbing into the man and using the energy to speed up the healing process and to take away what injuries he had. Yuuri spun and heard the small crackle of sparks erupt from his fingertips, smiling softly as he lit up the tower. As soon as he had finished, ending in a pose with his body turned profile, arms stretched and pointing towards the other, he opened his eyes. The last of the dancing light kanji were beginning to fade and absorb into Viktor, he was panting softly, catching his breath. It was the most advanced magic he knew, and he prayed that Viktor wouldn't go around telling people. The sparks and light faded softly, bathing them in moonlight and darkness once more.

            Viktor had stared in awe as Yuuri moved in well-practiced, elegant and distinctive motions, little blue glowing orbs and foreign characters floated in the air, some slowly absorbing into Viktor's skin. And as it happened, everything around him seemed to just dissolve into thin air; the world had been drowned out. He was lost in a world of calming blue lights and the relaxing _tap tap_ sound of Yuuri's bouncy but graceful steps. He stood there in his simple hospital pajamas and intricately embroidered fur coat, feet glued to the ground, completely and utterly mesmerized. It felt ethereal, heavenly, as the luminant lights entered through his skin, sending warm rushes of energy up his spine. And as young and healthy as Viktor already was, whatever this was, somehow made him feel a thousand times more alive. He could almost feel the bruises scattered throughout his face clear up, the dull ache in his shoulder disappear along with his slight wrist pain. Sure, this was a world full of magic and spells, but it still took Viktor by complete surprise and utter shock. Yuuri hadn't even performed it with a wand. How could a remedy this miraculous even exist, through a _dance_?! When Yuuri finally completed the dance, Viktor stood still for a moment longer, still taken aback by what'd just occurred. Then he stumbled forward a single step, slowly opening his mouth to speak.

            "Oh," He finally blurted out, still looking for the right words to say. It wasn't often when Viktor found himself speechless or surprised, so now that he was experiencing both emotions (quite overwhelmingly, as well), he grew slightly flustered and confused more than anything. Yuuri let out a deep breath he hadn't known he was holding, tension leaving his body as he relaxed and lowered his arms and shoulders. Viktor was just staring at him, and Yuuri began to feel flustered. Was he mad? Maybe he should have told him he was performing a spell. He had wanted it to be a surprise was all, he looked up with wide eyes. Yuuri took a small step forward, already closing in on himself as he felt the after show nerves catch up. He had danced for someone, what if he had looked silly?

            "Yuuri Katsuki," Viktor continued, snapping Yuuri back to reality, his tone staying flat before he stepped forward quickly, enclosing the gap between the two.

            "You are-! You're an... absolute wonder." Yuuri blinked and raised his head again, not realizing he had lowered it while his anxiety clawed at him with doubts.

            "I-I...what?" He breathed, and felt his heart stutter. Viktor Nikiforov was blushing, he looked unsure of what to say. But he also noticed the bruises were gone.

            "O-Oh!" He said, reaching up and shyly brushing a finger across his left cheek.

            "T-The bruises are gone...I should have told you! It...It was a healing dance. A simple one to heal pain and heal minor injuries is all, I'm so glad it was able to help you." Yuuri said shyly, smiling some.

            "Ah..I-I don't know why you think I'm some wonder...I'm not even the best dancer really. You should see my teacher or my sister back in Japan, they're amazing...I'm honestly better with my slippers. Dancing in my school shoes is harder. But with the slippers I have more mobility." Yuuri was a fantastic dancer, flexible and strong, but he couldn't see it in himself.

            "H-How do you feel? The lights didn't make you nervous?"

            Viktor shook his head rapidly, letting out a lighthearted laugh at Yuuri's humbleness and modesty.

            "Oh, give yourself some credit," He said, a dazed sigh coming out of his mouth.

            "That was incredible... I feel almost invincible thanks to you," Viktor remarked, tossing his head back and running a hand steadily through his long hair, jokingly. Yuuri smiled modestly and played rubbed the back of his neck.

            "I-It's a common talent in my country, really. But if it makes you happy...I have lots of dances. Some are spells and some are just for show...I would dance for you." Yuuri said, heart beating a mile a minute.  A few seconds later, a distant ringing of a bell reverberated in Viktor's ear; it was the sound of the bell from the clock tower not too far away, indicating that it was already three in the morning. And though Viktor was anything but tired right now, he did understand the possible consequences for both of them if they got caught, and it wouldn't be pretty. So, he gathered up all the motivation and willpower he could and took a few steps back to face Yuuri properly. The smaller man jumped when the clock chimed, looking over at where the sound had come from and frowning when he realized how late it was. He had class tomorrow…

            "Ah, it's three," Viktor mumbled, letting out a slightly frustrated puff of air.

            "And as much fun as you've been to meet, we should head back." He said this as he frowned a bit, already not looking forward to settling back into the tiny hospital bed, surrounded by dying daisies from students he'd never actually met and generic "get well soon!" cards and notes from people who probably couldn't care less about how “soon” Viktor healed.

            ..."Ah...yeah. We should probably head back. I have defense against the dark arts tomorrow at nine with professor Leroy. His son is in that class so I'll need the sleep to deal with that." He joked lightly, Jean (or JJ) was kind and honestly Yuuri had nothing against him. But gods above he was just so _loud_ and it made his head hurt and he never knew when to be quiet. Yuuri took Viktor's coat and situated it around him more, clasping the top buttons so it wouldn't slide off before grabbing his own robe and putting it on. He took the other's hand and gave a quick- " _Muffliato_." To redo the spell from earlier.

            "Viktor..." He said quietly, looking up at him. "...I want to do this again. And when you get better, I'll show you everything. Tomorrow I could show you mermaids~ They like to come out at night...I like speaking with them." He confessed, and began to lead him towards the door that led back inside.

            Viktor merely gave Yuuri a fond gaze, his eyes sparkling like soda bubbles. _Now it was mermaids?_ He thought to himself, flattered that Yuuri would willingly show him something like that. That boy just kept giving him surprise after surprise. Viktor laughed airily though, not complaining.

            "Well," He chirped, stopping to look at Yuuri once they arrived back inside.

            "I already can't wait for next time." He narrowed his eyes slightly, silver eyelashes fluttering, as he placed a hand on the bridge of Yuuri's glasses and pushed them up for him. He stood there for a moment longer, just taking in the other boy's soft brown eyes that peered back up at his, and wished that the night didn't have to end. He'd felt like Yuuri made him open his eyes to something new tonight, to be honest. He couldn't specify, but it was like Viktor was at the peak of breaking a tall glass barrier that'd always separated him from _real_ life. And to be honest, this was definitely the most genuine "fun" he'd had in a while. It was always nice, he concluded, to entice in your own childish endeavors every once in a while. What was the fun in pretending to sit on a throne and act like a king everywhere you went, anyhow? Then, breaking out of his thoughts, he let out a melodramatic sigh.

            "You should go get your beauty rest, Yuuri," He said teasingly. "I can find my way back to the hospital wing."

            Viktor couldn't wait until next time, Yuuri had to remind himself that he had heard him correctly. His own eyes sparkled in delight, his heart ablaze with a new feeling that he just didn't know how to describe. All he knew was that he wanted to see Viktor again, he wanted to show him everything, and he wanted to dance for him again. For a while the two just stood there, and Yuuri could feel Viktor searching his eyes for something, but what he was looking for the Slytherin boy did not know. But as he gazed back he could find happiness in Viktor's eyes, they seemed so much more full...more vibrant. The other times he had seen him he now realized those eyes had been dull, lifeless, just going through the motions. At his compliment he blushed and gently pushed him, playfully.

            "Beauty rest? You tease me." Yuuri joked, and looked up at him.

            "You need to get your beauty sleep though, I'll come visit tomorrow...we can have lunch? I'll bring you some." He suggested.

            "Sleep well, Viktor." The boy whispered, and before he could psych himself out of it, Yuuri leaned up and pressed a firm kiss on his cheek before turning and literally running away. He had dreamed of kissing Viktor for years! And that was as close as he was going to get, he felt so rebellious in stealing such a thing. His face was burning and by the time he made it back to the Slytherin commons he knew he was red faced. The mermaids began signing at him, teasing him for being out late and trying to guess what naughty things he had been doing.

            " _I wasn't doing anything of the sort! I am no harlot_!" He signed back with a smirk, all Slytherin knew sign language, the tradition had started years before he came to Hogwarts. The house prefects had wanted to communicate with the mermaids, and through a long few years they had taught the mermaids sign language too, and from then on Slytherin had made peace with their fishy neighbors and kept them company. He wished them good night and snuck into his room, seeing that Phichit was sound asleep he quickly changed into his own pajamas and slipped into bed.

            Viktor was frozen in both shock and delight, Viktor wondered if what he'd thought just happened, actually happened. He wasn't hallucinating, was he? It wasn't a dream either, right? He brought a hand to his cheek just to confirm it'd been real; the ball of anxiety, Yuuri Katsuki- who'd gotten Viktor into a near-death situation, tried to avoid speaking to him for days only to then dance for him and heal all his wounds, all in one night- had just kissed him. It obviously hadn't been the first time Viktor had been given a kiss. Back at Durmstrang, he'd received love confessions from hopeless, red-faced underclassmen girls more times than he could count. Occasionally (more than half the time), he'd get pecks on the cheeks as well. But since he surprisingly had a problem of being noncommittal and detached, always rejecting anybody who'd ask- Viktor had never gotten an actual, lasting-more-than-two-seconds smooch on the cheek- let alone from a guy. He wasn't completely sure, but he thought that he kind of liked it. And fortunately, now that he was healed, he'd probably be released from the hospital wing sometime the next day. The whole walk back to the hospital wing, Viktor had a dreamy grin on his face, the thought of Yuuri's cute flustered expression on his mind. He then wondered if this was sort of like how the girls in the past who'd crushed on Viktor felt... hopefully not...

 

_Two souls met on a dark but starry night, one shy as a rabbit, the other as confident as a fox. How the two could get along would be a mystery to an outsider, but when souls are bonded together nothing can keep them apart._

_Not anxiety, not fame nor fortune, not even location. Two souls tonight danced and laughed, it was the start of a journey that would take them to hell and back._

 


	2. Mirrors & Romance Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS! Thank you so much for reading! Quick update: University is starting for me this coming Monday! I will try to update weekly as promised, but things might get pretty busy as I am a theatre studies major…lots of stuff happening haha! Thank you all so much!

            Yuuri dreamed of silver streams that night, flowing from Viktor’s hair and turning into a silver creek that had stars floating within it. A dream he would be embarrassed to tell anybody about, but not the first time he had dreamt of Viktor Nikiforov. But this time was different, this time he was with him in the dream, he wasn’t on the side lines as a mere observer. Yuuri was with him, performing magic, dancing and twisting as he cast spells flawlessly. Together they lit up the night sky in a beautiful array of blues, whites, and reds, Yuuri’s dance of light only adding to the spectacle. He felt weightless in the dream, no stress, his chest was airy and he felt at peace, something he hadn’t felt for a long time. But nothing lasted forever, and soon morning came, as well as the friendly voice of his roommate and long time friend, Phichit Chulanot.

            Phichit was shaking his shoulder awake, the sleeping beauty that was Yuuri Katsuki had been tuckered out after dancing under the stars. Yuuri had sat up with a groggy groan, feeling the weight of existence slam back down on him like a jail cell door slamming shut. He rubbed his face and immediately contemplated the point of getting out of bed, could he afford to skip Defense Against the Dark Arts? Probably not. He sighed and raised his head finally, eyes finding Phichit who gave a little snicker.

            "You're so tired...what's up? Did your anxiety keep you up again?" Phichit asked, and Yuuri blushed some before giving a shrug and a small nod. He wanted to tell Phichit what he had done, where he had been…but it felt private. It was his own little memory that he could have.

             "Dude, Viktor doesn't hate you! I'm sure of it." He encouraged, but Yuuri shook his head with a yawn as he lazily got his clothes on for class.

            "It's not that...just went for a walk last night, and I lost track of time. Went stargazing...the usual stuff." He hummed. Phichit chuckled and nodded. At least he wasn’t lying entirely. He had gone for a walk and star-gazed, but he had also done it with Viktor.

            "After taking gifts to your beloved?" Yuuri froze and pouted at him. It was no secret that the shy boy admired Viktor so, and had since he had first seen him in Quidditch years ago. One could even go as far as to say Yuuri Katsuki was in love with Viktor Nikiforov. But Yuuri knew that wasn’t the case, he didn’t know Viktor, how could he be in love with someone he didn’t know?

            "Phichit!!" He whined.

            "Yuuri you're totally in love with him! You two would be so cute~ Come on just think about it!" Yuuri shook his head, gathering his books. He had thought about it, that was the problem. He thought about it a lot…kissing him, holding his hand, being the reason behind Viktor’s smile, being the person Viktor woke up to, but that was selfish. Yuuri felt he was being selfish imagining such things. Viktor was a person, not some object to fantasize over, so he quickly extinguished the flames in his mind.

            "Viktor probably isn't into guys, I-I don't know. I don't like Viktor like that! I-I just really admire him as a person and competitor." Phichit hadn't been convinced, and after some more teasing Yuuri had finally escaped to go and get ready. He put on a clean robe after brushing his teeth and washing his face. Once he was freshened up he went to class, feeling a little more confident. But class was worse than he expected…he was almost late and he yawned through most of the lecture Mr. Leroy had been giving. That and he was doing poorly at defending himself, but the teacher noticed how tired he was and gave him some slack at least, telling Yuuri to try and get some rest that night.

            “I think if you go back and read the last chapter again, this spell today will make more sense.” Mr. Leroy had told him patiently. Yuuri nodded, feeling ashamed that he wasn’t caught up with the rest of the class. He knew he could do it, he defended himself just fine when kids picked fights with him. But that usually was with his wand _and_ his body. Using a wand was foreign to him, his family specialized in magic through the body. Using one’s body and energy to channel spells seemed natural to him, but since he had been chosen to attend Hogwarts he had to learn to use his wand. He wondered if his wand had chosen the correct wizard…because it seemed that he never knew how to use it correctly.

            "I just need some coffee, Mr. Leroy. I’ll be better prepared on Monday." Yuuri assured. It was Thursday thankfully, a little over a week after his last game and almost the weekend. There would be another soon, this coming Saturday Quidditch matches tended to fall on the weekends when there were no classes. That meant he had most of Sunday to study the last few chapters for this class. He had gone back to his seat after his humiliation, ignoring snickers and taunts from students as he diligently took notes in his notebook, even drawing sketches of the professor’s stance to see if that would help him. After Defense Against the Dark Arts it was study time in his potions class, which he was grateful for. He spent the time making flashcards to memorize the potions and ingredients for augmentation of the most basic degree such as changing eye or hair color, adding freckles or taking them away, etc. He loved his potions class, it was something he seemed to be decent at, it was his highest grade. Around lunch time Yuuri was dragging himself back to the Slytherin commons, he was done for the day luckily, Tuesday's and Thursday's were just morning classes.

\-- ~ ~ ~ --

            It wasn’t just Yuuri who was having a long morning though, the whole first half of the next day seemed to drag on, with Viktor being forced to rest in the hospital wing until the afternoon despite his childish protests of being fine. He stared out the window, sullen, reflecting on the events of the previous night. And then, just like he'd done after Yuuri's kiss, Viktor wondered if he'd just dreamt the whole thing. Maybe his head had even gone insane after the accident, and now he was merely making up an alternate reality. After all, it almost seemed too good to be true. But he took one look at the cute bundle of handwritten poems on the nightstand beside his bed, and smiled to himself reassuringly. Thank god he wasn't just hallucinating. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but was only a few hours, the nurse confirmed him good to go ("don't be so careless again!" she'd scolded him before he left). Viktor was released from the hospital wing after changing into his formal blood-red robes and woolly overcoat, his hair tied up into a tight ponytail that cascaded down his back. As he headed out, though, he realized that he still wasn't all that familiar with the huge castle. He'd visited for short periods in previous years, but of course he'd forgotten since then. And this time, he'd spent the majority of his time idling in the hospital wing.

            "Hm," Viktor mumbled to himself, placing a finger on his lip in slight confusion. He stared down at the parchment paper in his hand, which held his class schedule for the time Durmstrang would be staying here. The hallways were pretty empty at the moment, probably indicating that classes were currently taking place and Viktor was missing out on Arithmancy. He'd just gone to the class a couple days back, yet... he was an airhead, and couldn't find his way back. He looked around at his surroundings, hoping to find _something_ familiar. There was the seemingly endless rows of moving staircases that he'd seen yesterday right in front of him, and hundreds of paintings on the walls. But, what floor was he even exactly on?

            Yuuri seemed to walk down the moving staircases seamlessly, not even watching as he just knew by now where to put his feet. In the empty hallways, as he was taking his sweet time going back to his dormitories, he stopped as he saw a flash of red. He focused on it and immediately recognized silver hair, it was Viktor! Yuuri felt his whole being light up, and he didn't feel as tired anymore. He had been released! He looked confused and lost.

            "Viktor!" He called, running back up the stairs and around to come down a different way to find him. He looked stunning in his Durmstrang outfits, he understood why the girls swooned over them. They were regal and fitting, befitting for a school of strong men and women.

            "Ah, Yuuri!" Viktor exclaimed, relieved to finally spot a familiar face in the vast emptiness of the castle. He, however, didn't want to seem too lost or frazzled; he'd always been bad with directions, but it wasn't like him to show weakness, especially during silly times like this. He was sure he could find the right classroom in no time

             "Are you lost? Where are you trying to go to?" Yuuri asked, recognizing the slight look of panic on anyone's face. He had worn the same look the first few months at Hogwarts as he tried to find his way around.

            "I'm okay," He said, running a hand through his ponytail and looking around for a response.

            "Just... making my way to class!" He gave Yuuri a dismissive wave and started pacing down the stairs (and in the wrong direction too, unbeknownst to Viktor). However, right as he was about to take another step, the staircase shifted itself and began moving, relocating to connect with a different staircase. Yuuri didn't budge, his balance used to it by now, but he dove forward was Viktor stumbled, grabbing his fur coat.

            "Careful!" He gasped, and let go when he got his footing. It left Viktor slightly startled and on the verge of tripping, much to his embarrassment. He stumbled backwards a few steps, bumping right back into Yuuri. He then let out a long sigh and turned to face the boy, defeated.

            "I kind of forgot where Arithmancy was," He shrugged, a dumbfounded smile and blank expression on his face. He scolded himself and mentally cursed at the moving staircases for making a fool out of him- did the stairs have an actual conscious? Had they done that on purpose? Viktor thought, giving the stairs an accusing look.

            Yuuri had to fight the urge to smile. Viktor really was....really cute, he pouted like a puppy. He saw Viktor give the stairs an accusing look and couldn't help himself, he laughed.

            "The stairs do that...I can't remember how they work." He said, and looked at his schedule.

            "Ah...Vector. Old geezer but really good with numbers. Helped me pass the class last semester, and I'm not good at Arithmancy." He stepped back and motioned for Viktor to follow him up the stairs.

            "Wrong floor, fifth, not second. I'll show you!" Yuuri offered, and began leading him. He took them up the winding and moving staircases, and after a while he let out a little puff as he reached the right floor. Viktor followed Yuuri through the repetitive, long hallways, bedazzled as to Hogwarts students got their way around everywhere without getting lost. Durmstrang was pretty big already, but Hogwarts made it look like a speck of dust. Everything here looked the same, it was almost like walking in a maze. He kept his gaze fixed on Yuuri's back, admiring the way Yuuri was so familiar with the path and walked about like it was nothing. Viktor's thoughts drifted every which direction, and he noticed that Yuuri had been "catching" him (literally) quite a lot lately, in the short time that they'd been in contact. First, Yuuri had caught him as he was falling to an inevitable doom at the Quidditch match. Then, it was last night at the hospital when Viktor had stood up too quickly, and just a second ago, when he was startled by the staircase. A small smile hinted on Viktor's lips as he thought about it, considering the fact that he was never one for getting frazzled or stumbling until now, it seemed.

            "Here we are...third door on the right, end of the hall. The classrooms on this floor are pretty big." He smiled at Viktor and adjusted his glasses.

            "W-When are you free? I know you um...wanted a tour?"

            Hearing Yuuri's inquiry about a tour, Viktor looked up quickly, his mouth curling upwards into a smirk.

            "Just after this class," He said in an easy tone, though feeling the urge to grimace as he remembered that he'd always been rubbish at Arithmancy. Sure, he was Viktor Nikiforov, but his strengths lied mainly in the Dark Arts, not calculating numbers. He looked down the hall to his destined classroom, then turned to meet Yuuri's eyes again, suddenly reminded of the kiss he'd received from the boy less than twelve hours prior.

            "Thanks for showing me the way, then. Let's meet at the Great Hall," Viktor said and he almost wanted to lean forward, return the kiss Yuuri had given him. But something in his typical flirtatious and troublesome attitude felt slightly hindered when he was with Yuuri, so instead, he settled on whipping out his wand and playfully bopping it on Yuuri's head once before heading off.

            Yuuri felt an odd sense of serenity around Viktor, his whole life he had dreamed of meeting the great Captain and to play with or against him...even when Hogwarts had called to him and not the school they had in Japan, he thought he'd never meet him, but he still hoped.            And now here he was, in a span of twelve hours he had gotten his forgiveness, star-gazed, danced, and even kissed his cheek. It was so surreal. He blushed lightly, looking up when Viktor started to talk about his schedule.

            "Great Hall? Yeah I can do that. This ends in about an hour right? I'll meet you there." He promised, and for a second thought Viktor was leaning closer, but instead a wand bopped the top of his head and he found a soft laugh escaping him.

            "Glad you're feeling better too, have fun in class." Yuuri trilled, and waved as he watched Viktor go down the hall. He then turned and made his way back to the dormitories, signing hello and good afternoon to the mermaids relaxing by the lagoon windows, and then curled up in his bed. Just one hour...that was all he needed.

\-- ~ ~ ~ --

            Just like earlier that day, time seemed to just drag on distressingly after Viktor entered the classroom and took a seat. As expected, wandering eyes locked on him as soon as he strode in, and he heard more than a couple muffled gasps and hushed whispers. It was always like this; people would set him on a ridiculously high pedestal anywhere he went, and act like he was an unreal, miraculous being. And being praised so highly was definitely appreciated by Viktor, as he was a born narcissist, but it just seemed to grow more weary and bothersome as time went on. In all honesty, he'd loved to be treated more as a human, and less as some god. He was still only seventeen, after all. Nevertheless, and despite everything, Viktor still flashed a toothy, plastic smile as he strutted in, much to the students' delight (and to Professor Vector's annoyance). He was overjoyed to find Yuri Plisetsky, his cranky Russian underclassman and whom Viktor considered a "friend," settled at the back of the classroom. Viktor quickly made a beeline for the empty seat next to the blonde's, and sat down contentedly, counting down the minutes until the class would end.

            The second Arithmancy was dismissed, Viktor stood up out of his seat, gathering his books.

            "Yo, what's with that stupid grin on your face?" Yuri asked, genuine curiosity in his tone, but he masked with a glare.

            "Hm?" Viktor asked innocently, patting Yuri on the head.

            "I'm finally cured of all my injuries, of course I'm rejoicing!" Yuri simply gave him an unconvinced glare in return, as an idea popped up in Viktor's head.

            "Hey, Yuri, come with me to the Great Hall!" He said enthusiastically, and before Yuri could protest, he dragged the smaller boy away, meandering through the now crowded hallways and to the Great Hall.

\-- ~ ~ ~ --

            Yuuri had slept longer than expected...fifteen minutes more than expected to be exact. Phichit came back from lunch and Yuuri had freaked out when he saw the time.

            "I'm late!" He shrieked, and began to throw his robe on and shoes before grabbing his wand.

            "For what?" Phichit laughed.

            "I-I'm meeting a friend!" Yuuri said quickly, and ran out before his best friend could question him further. By the time he had made it to the Great Hall there were few people, but Yuuri was relieved to see the head of silver hair sitting at a table waiting.

            "Viktor!" He called, and ran over, catching his breath.

            "I-I am so sorry! Please forgive me, I fell asleep because I was up last night and I-I lost track of time, you haven't been here too long have you?" He asked, and it was then he noticed the blonde boy next to him. He was giving him a pointed glare, mint eyes sharp.

            "Y-Yuri Plisetsky...you're the seeker for Durmstrang!" Yuri gasped, eyes widening.

            "I didn't see you last game...what happened?" He asked.

            Viktor waved away Yuuri's startled apologies, a playful grin planted on his face.

            "Oh, no. Glad you got your beauty sleep," He replied, before he pushed Yuri over and patted the now empty spot next to him, motioning for Yuuri to take a seat. Yuuri was ushered to sit next to Viktor, and so he did. He glanced between the two Russians with a shy blush, having never imagined being in the presence of _two_ well-known wizards. Viktor looked over to Yuri slyly, whose cheeks had flushed with embarrassment; maybe even a bit of shame, if Viktor wasn't just imagining it.

            "I was... kinda susp-" Yuri began, his voice low and almost unintelligible. However, he then snapped his head up, narrowing his eyes directly at Yuuri.

            "Gah! It's none of your business. Who even are _you_?" He pointed a finger at the older boy accusingly, wisps of blonde hair hanging over to cover his right eye.

            "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to intrude!" He squeaked when Yuri snapped at him.

            "I was just curious because I was looking forward to playing against you." Yuuri confessed

            "Ahahaha! All right, Yuri," Viktor interjected before Yuri could initiate his rebellious hormonal teenager act again. He ruffled the blonde's hair almost too harshly, and turned to face Yuuri again.

            "Yuuri Katsuki, you seem to already know our very ill-mannered Yuri Plisetsky!" He announced.

            "And Yuri Plisetsky, this is Yuuri Katsuki. He's the very skilled and gorgeous seeker for Slytherin, who knocked me off my broomstick!" Viktor finished, the words just tumbling out of his mouth easily and not completely realizing what he'd just said. Viktor ruffled Yuri's hair as introduced him, Yuuri's own cheeks flushing darker when the other described him as skilled and gorgeous, two things he didn't think he was. After a moment's silence, he heard Yuri gag a bit, swatting Viktor's hand away.

            "Gross," Yuri mumbled, before widening his eyes and looking up, lips forming a telltale frown.

            "I'd rather not share the same name with some Slytherin seeker who you find 'skilled and gorgeous,' Vik-tor." Yuri spoke mockingly, though turning away to conceal the slightly flustered expression he made when he glanced at Yuuri.

            "I didn't mean to knock him off the broomstick, I'm just glad I was able to save him." He said, blinking when Yuri scoffed at sharing the same name as him. Just then he noticed another player come through, Otabek Altin. He one of the two chasers their team had, and was a fifth year. He was built and strong, good for the position and rather graceful and light handed despite his strength.

            "Oh! Otabek!" Yuuri smiled and waved at him. The Kazakh wizard gave a nod back and a small wave of his hand, but no real smile. He went to sit at a table by himself, pulling out his books to get some homework done and sneaking a phone out of his robe to look at.

            "Ah...that's Otabek, he's really nice. Very quiet, I wouldn't be surprised if he became the next Captain." Yuuri chuckled.

            "He seems like a very nice young man," Viktor nodded approvingly, suddenly remembering about Yuuri's promised tour. He stood up, whipping his head to face Yuri's, noticing the boy's lingering gaze on Otabek.

            "Yuri, why don't you go over there to socialize? And make a new friend?" Viktor chuckled and hurriedly shoved Yuri away in the direction of the other boy, despite Yuri's startled protests and attempts to fight Viktor. Yuuri chuckled as Viktor tried to get the younger teen to socialize, Yuri was only a year younger than him if he remembered correctly, or two...? He glanced over at Otabek, who was staring with his usual unreadable expression, phone in hand as he leaned his head on his hand.

            “Hey! Stop ordering me around everywhere, you idiot!” The blonde exclaimed, though shutting up as he saw Otabek staring, and retreated back to his cold resting face.

            "You can come sit here, as long you don't mind my music." Otabek shrugged, turning back to his books. He went into his playlist and started playing the electronic/heavy-metal stuff he usually listened to, offering one of his earbuds to Yuri. Phones were frowned upon at Hogwarts, but more and more students brought them onto campus…some students had even used a spell to get wifi working. The teachers figured as long as they kept them out of the class rooms it was fine.

            Turning back to look at Yuuri, Viktor brushed a few loose strands of hair off his face and smiled charismatically.

            "Now," He stated, offering his hand to the male. "Shall we go?"

            Turning towards Viktor, Yuuri blushed to see his hand offered.

            "Y-Yes!" He said, taking it. "Let's go."

            "Where do you want to see first? It's a pretty big place, so we won't get through it all today."

            At Yuuri's question, Viktor immediately pulled Yuuri forward and leaned in to the other's ear. He wasn't going to waste any time looking at the antique trophy cases or fancy hallways today; every moment had to be spent wisely with Yuuri, so he got straight to the point.

            "Well," Viktor muttered playfully, in a low voice so that nobody around them could hear.

            "A little birdie once told me that there's a magic mirror in this castle... you stand in front of it, but instead of your reflection, you see something else?" Viktor averted his gaze to the ground, trying to think of the name of the mirror, or anything else he knew. Unfortunately he couldn't come up with anything, so he hoped Yuuri would know what he was referring to.

            "So, what do you say we give it a try?" He asked, meeting Yuuri's eyes again. Yuuri blushed darkly as Viktor leaned close, lips close to ear. His heart pounded and he bit his lip.

            "Y-You want to see the mirror of Erised?" He asked quietly, and looked up to meet his eyes. Nobody had seen it in years...the last rumor of it ever being used was when Harry Potter himself had been taken there by Dumbledore. But that was much before Yuuri's time.

            "...I don't know where it is." He confessed, and saw Viktor’s eyes fall.

            "B-But we can look!" He said quickly, grabbing both of Viktor's hands without thinking.

            "Let's go to the library...there's gotta be something in there that could lead us to it." He said, determined to make Viktor smile again. In all honesty, he was terrified. He had no idea what the reflection would hold for him...what was his heart's desire? Was it really something he could just say out loud? He had never thought about what he really wanted from life...and though part of him was excited to see what it needed and wanted, he was also scared. What if it was something stupid that made Viktor laugh? Would Viktor be able to see his reflection?

            "Here...follow me." Yuuri said, and began tugging him along to the library.

            Viktor happily obliged, following close behind Yuuri. They passed by endless stone hallways with hundreds of paintings on the walls, several from past achievements and old headmasters. Viktor scanned through each one of them, amazed by Hogwarts amazing history and how it still stood strong, despite all the trouble the school had endured in the past. As they walked through the crowds of students, Viktor wondered if they would really be able to find this so-called "Mirror of Erised." He wasn't sure the last time somebody had gotten a hold on it and if it'd already been long demolished, but he hoped that it was still here somewhere, left abandoned in the huge school. He also couldn't remember exactly what made the mirror so significant; if you didn't see your reflection, then what exactly did you see? _What is "erised?"_ Viktor thought, his mind racing with curiosity. When they finally stopped, Viktor recognized the place as the library. It was calm and quiet, with a couple students sitting inside and studying, some looking up inquisitively when they saw Yuuri dragging Viktor along through the library. It was a bit strange though.. what would they find in here? Surely the mirror wouldn't be lying around in a place so obvious and accessible to students. Otherwise, it'd been found years ago.

            "Do you think it's in here?" Viktor asked, keeping his voice low and steady to avoid attracting more attention, as people were already staring at them suspiciously.

            As they walked in, Yuuri began leading them to the section that would most likely house their answer. When Viktor asked if it was in the room he chuckled.

            "No, Viktor. We're researching." The boy clarified, and smiled when they reached the back.

            "Look for a book on mirrors...if we're going to find any information on it, it'll be here." Yuuri said, and began scanning shelves and looking at the titles of books that had been there for hundreds of years. It was the history section, with books from hundreds of years ago. It was Yuuri’s favorite part of the library, and the most avoided it seemed as he never saw other students in here unless it was for some history project or paper. Some books were dusty, and Yuuri had to brush dust off to read the titles. He pulled out a couple books that might have what he's looking for, and then found a table by a window, setting them down.

            "Find anything?" He whispered as he came up by Viktor.

            Looking through the thousands of books on the shelf, Viktor passed his index finger along each book's spine, rough and worn out from years of students' use. He found himself getting distracted by a book about magical creatures, and skimmed through it quickly, admiring the photos of three-headed dogs.

            "Cute!" He muttered under his breath, eyes gleaming. And basilisks that, apparently, were once trapped inside the school and threatened students. _Man,_ He thought, sighing disappointedly. If only Hogwarts still had that much action going on today. Even though there'd probably be serious consequences and many casualties. When Yuuri approached him again, Viktor quickly slid the book back into its rightful place in the shelf and revealed another one: "Hogwarts: A History"

            "How about this one?" Viktor asked, flipping through the pages of the book. There were several volumes to the series; he'd found the one written during the famous Harry Potter's time, hoping they'd find some useful information. Yuuri looked at the volume and nodded.

            "Perfect! That would totally have something about it in there." He said softly, and watched as Viktor whispered the section to him.

            "Ah, well... the mirror was supposedly first found in some old classroom near this library... and then used in the Chambers in this school to guard a rock- stone?" Viktor mumbled, reading quickly through the tiny text and not fully comprehending it.

            "But, that was over twenty years ago."

            "...Yeah...twenty years ago..." Yuuri murmured.

            "Does it say anything else?" He asked, and wondered if it would be in the attics of Hogwarts, storage areas, etc. He brought Viktor back to the table and began to look at his books, but when nothing turned up he sighed.

            "Viktor? Try grabbing the histories again, maybe the volume after the one you got? Maybe it says something about renovations and where they stored things after the Battle of Hogwarts." He hummed, leaning against his chair and looking out the window at the courtyard.

            With a slow nod, Viktor retreated to the earlier shelf and searched it for the next volume. Once found, he let out a soft huff of victory and scanned through the table of contents, flipping to the section titled ”Battle of Hogwarts: Post-War.” His eyes ghosted over the page, scrutinizing every word and growing restless after he couldn't find anything noticeably important. The mirror had only been brought up that one time, in the previous book... what'd happened to it since then? It couldn't have just vanished into thin air. Sighing, Viktor looked up from the book and furrowed his eyebrows together. He trotted back to where Yuuri was seated, holding the book up in his hands.

            "The only thing that it says here is that most damaged or unused items after the war were brought into a... 'Room of Requirements'?" Victor wasn't sure what it was, as he wasn't too familiar with Hogwarts and its complicated past and hidden passageways leading to who-knows-where.

            Yuuri took a look at the book, reading the page in detail. After a few minutes his eyes widened.

            "Of course!" He breathed, his history lessons coming back to him.

            "We've been told the room doesn't exist, but if it's in this book then it HAS to!" He whispered excitedly, writing something down in his notebook before closing both it and the book. He shoved his notebook in his bag and buckled it up before standing once more before grabbing Viktor’s hand.

            "I know exactly where that is...we'll go tonight." Yuuri said with a smile. The page had spoken of the location of the room, as well as how to get into it. It was hidden in plain sight, and Yuuri felt a little victorious for figuring out where such a history filled room was. He put the books back and cast his gaze back up at Viktor.

            “Oh?” Viktor said, raising an eyebrow and anticipating another sleepless night spent with Yuuri, doing things the two knew that they shouldn't be doing. _Nonetheless, you only live once!_ Victor thought, satisfied and shrugged it off. He was never one to follow the rules, anyhow. The two had just met, and yet— when their two hands connected yet _again_ that day, Viktor felt like he'd known Yuuri for years. And as cliché as it probably sounded, he swore it felt almost like the small, dull ache in his chest was finally being fulfilled. Not yet, but it was getting there.

            “Yuuri, honestly.. where have you been all my life...?” Victor muttered quietly to himself, although probably a bit too loudly, casting a fond look at the boy beside him. Yuuri had heard what Viktor had said and blushed deeply, smiling some as he looked down.

            "Ah..I-I've always been here. Cheering you from the sidelines." But before he could embarrass himself he changed the topic, not wanting to dwell on how he felt too much lest he have hope.

            "Was there anything else you wanted to see in the meantime...?" Yuuri pondered, holding his hand.

            Viktor quickly shook his head and snapped back into reality, nodding his head in response to Yuuri’s question.

            "In that case," He started, excitement decorating his tone.

            "Let's go to Hogsmeade! I've always wanted to visit when we come to Hogwarts, but have never gotten the chance." He pulled Yuuri along down the stairs, heading for the exit of the school.

            As they walked, Yuuri felt something blossoming in his chest. He wasn't sure what to call it...so for now he dubbed it: happiness. He felt happy with Viktor, the _real_ Viktor, not the one he saw in the papers and on phones who just grinned and looked perfect. He said, and looked up when they exited the library.

            "Hogsmeade sounds amazing~" Yuuri laughed, and ran with him towards the exit.

            "Where first? Something to eat there, or shopping? Or just figure it out when we get there?"

            "Hm... let's visit the place with the famous... oh, butterbeer!" Viktor said cheerfully, walking in fast strides towards the direction of the small village.

            Yuuri laughed, butterbeer was rather famous. "I haven't tried it~" Yuuri chuckled. Viktor had heard so much about Hogsmeade during his previous visits; his old seniors on the Durmstrang Quidditch team would constantly discuss the small but terrific wonders lying around in that place, waiting to be discovered. The small British village was often said to be known for the flowering of new relationships, with the romanticism so high and consistent that it could've competed with nineteenth century France. At the same time, it was infamous for being the center or beginning of tragedies and horrific events taking place, during Harry Potter's era. Either way, Viktor had always been intrigued by it, and now, he was more than excited to be finally visiting.

            "Also, let's shop and buy lots of amazing things! There's a joke shop too, I believe...?" Viktor was rambling on, though he couldn't help it- he'd had a knack for shopping since he was young and began school. When they finally arrived, Viktor raced forward into the heart of the village. His breath was faintly visible in the chilly mid-November air, his hair like liquid mercury flowing in the wind, and his eyes glistening with exhilaration, similarly to a child's. It was thrilling- this tiny but lively town filled with endless passersby, chattering away and all hoping to get a taste of whatever Hogsmeade had to offer. Viktor spun around to view his surroundings, taking a good look at the place. His eyes were immediately drawn to a cozy-looking, small building labeled "Madam Puddifoot's" in showy and gaudy pink cursive. He assumed it to be some cafe, judging by the interior of the building. _It's perfect!_ Viktor thought, already heading for the door, gesturing for Yuuri to follow.

            It didn't take long to get the small village of Hogsmeade, and when they did Yuuri couldn't help but feel excited. He watched Viktor run forward, his hair flowing and his cheeks tinted pink from the slightly cold temperatures. He looked so happy, so amazed, his eyes were wide in awe and the blue sparkled it seemed. Yuuri felt his lips widen and his eyes crinkle, he giggled. He hadn't been here in a while...he wasn't one for partying and only ever came here to shop for school supplies. Viktor began heading towards 'Madam Puddifoot's' and drug Yuuri along with him.

            "Hey! This is Phichit's favorite place~" Yuuri mentioned, remembering the pink font from his friend's many instagram posts.

            The two were blasted with an air of warmth and snugness as soon as they entered, and Viktor took in a big breath, as if inhaling the good spirits of the small shop. However, as soon as he looked around the place, one specific detail infested his sight: at almost every table, sat a couple. Some where babbling away at their own little conversations and giggling, and some- well, some were doing things a little more "intimate." Everybody was invested in their own conversations, and thankfully nobody looked up when Viktor and Yuuri entered, the miniature bell above the door tinkling melodiously. Viktor blinked once, a dumbfounded expression on his face.

            Yuuri looked around, feeling his face heat up. Phichit had never told him this was a romantic get away cafe! Every table sat a couple, and he felt his heart racing when he realized he and Viktor would probably end up sitting at a table too.

            "So, your friend, Phichit..." He mumbled, chuckling nervously and place his hand on his forehead.

            "Does he come here with somebody else too?"

            "P-Phichit...ah...I think?" Yuuri was about to elaborate when a waitress came up, welcoming them in a high pitched shrill, it was cute, like literally everything else in this building. Yuuri knew that Phichit had a thing for a guy from Ravenclaw, but his friend never really went into details on how that crush was going. The girl was around their age, dressed in a short black skirt and white apron, and she approached them, giggling quietly. A quill and notepad floated in the air beside her.

            "Welcome to Madam Puddifoot's!" She greeted in a high, girly voice, eyes flitting between the two males. Not giving them any time to respond, she began walking away and told them to follow her to be seated. _Well,_ Viktor thought, holding back a humorous laugh. _This should be quite interesting._

            He found himself following Viktor with a nervous but amused giggle, and they were sat at the one remaining table in the corner, by the window. Outside it was a completely different color scheme, and it felt like he was looking into a book about late fall, while the cafe felt warm and sunny like spring. He looked up at Viktor and blushed, chuckling.

            "Well...I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay, right? I heard the food here was really good, and they serve butterbeer I think?" Yuuri glanced at the menu, but he wanted to keep looking at Viktor. He had this huge smile on his face, and it was a genuine one.

            "You know...I actually don't come to Hogsmeade all that often...guess we'll explore and discover new things together." Yuuri confessed.

            "Oh, don't worry, we'll explore everything today," Viktor nodded, contentedly. He'd had a lot planned, even despite the fact that they'd be staying at Hogwarts for a pretty long time.

            "Not a single minute will be wasted." He skimmed through the items on the menu, not going over each one thoroughly as usual, and deciding on just a single butterbeer in the end. Yuuri had decided on some hot chocolate and a large pumpkin spice cupcake with cream cheese frosting, he figured he could share it with Viktor and if not take the other half back for Phichit. He always treated his friends and brought back little gifts. Victor flicked his eyes up from the menu after deciding, noticing Yuuri's observant gaze on him. He wondered what it was that Yuuri was inspecting so closely— was it his breathtakingly beautiful face? _Of course it has to be,_ Viktor thought, ever the narcissist. He, of course, never being one to blush and shy away, returned Yuuri's look with a friendly wink. Yuuri blushed deeply as Viktor had caught him staring, admiring how calm and content he looked in that moment. Immediately, Yuuri's ears began bloomed pink and he straightened up some.

            "A-Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean to stare!" He squeaked, and at the same moment, their waitress returned, rushing back to their table with a wide grin, making Yuuri jump some at her sudden appearance.

            “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I had to ask!” She suddenly said, her cheekbones growing pink.

            “Are you two actually... together now?” She turned to Yuuri, a curious look scribbled all over her face.

            “He forgave you for the whole Quidditch accident?!” Not giving any time for a response yet again, the girl clapped her hands to her mouth hurriedly, beginning to laugh.

            “Oh my—! Don't worry, I won't tell! But you two are so cute together, I so approve!”

            Yuuri blinked at her question, and soon the pink on his face turned to a dark red.

            "T-Together?" He asked, going speechless. People thought Viktor would settle for someone like _him_!? There was no way! And the waitress KNEW who he was!? Viktor would tell the waitress any second that they weren't together, not even friends, just acquaintances enjoying the town. Viktor was only hanging around Yuuri because he was giving him tours right? As a payment for knocking him off the broom? He wanted to slap himself and his insecurities. But the waitress was expecting an answer, and she looked over at him. Yuuri opened his mouth, but nothing really came out.

            "I-I...w-we...uh..." Wait did the waitress say they were _cute_ together?

            At the girl's flustered comments and invading questions, Viktor felt amusement blooming in his chest and a strange rush of warmth run through his body. He and Yuuri would be cute, hm...? Still, Viktor was a bit of a dimwit at times, but he wasn't dumb— and he knew he could act like quite the playboy in the face of others, but he still knew the limits; to not mess with people's hearts too much. They were fragile things. _Especially not Yuuri's,_ He thought. This boy's heart was literally made of glass. Clearing his throat a bit to bring the waitress's attention off Yuuri, Viktor gave the excited girl a polite, well-practiced smile to calm her down.

            "Ah, I'm sorry to disappoint, but Yuuri and I aren't associated in the way you think," He stated smoothly, leaning back in the cute, white chair and crossing his arms. _We aren't_ , He thought. _But maybe that'll change...?_ Directly afterwards, he leaned forward again, a look of confidence gleaming in his irises.

            "And even if we were... well! I don't think I'd want it getting leaked to the public like this." He sat up straight again, looking towards Yuuri and then to the now dumbfounded waitress, satisfied. Folding the menu back into its rightful position, he said,

            "Now, I'll have a large butterbeer please!"

            Yuuri sighed in relief as Viktor swooped in and saved him, bringing the unwanted attention off of him. And even though what he said was true, that they were not associated romantically, he still felt an odd twinge of disappointment in his chest. Why would he be disappointed by a fact he already knew? Did he think he and Viktor had something special? Viktor probably did this every time he came to Hogwarts, new year, new person; so Yuuri just needed to be grateful for the time they had together now. He heard Viktor order and straightened up, clearing his throat.

            "A-A hot chocolate, and a small pumpkin spice cupcake." He said, and nodded his head politely before handing her the menu. When she wrote down the orders and left he looked at Viktor, feeling anxious and crowded now in the restaurant.

            "Ah...sorry...I could have responded much better to that..." He said, smiling sadly. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, once his heart-rate went back to normal he opened them again and gave a more calm smile.

            "There we go. I'm guessing you've figured this out..b-but I have anxiety. Makes socializing pretty hard..." He admitted, feeling stupid immediately afterwards for admitting it.

            "N-Not that you have to do anything about it! We can continue as we are, I've had it forever so I can deal with it just fine." Yuuri assured, but he felt even more stupid. _Dammit Yuuri, get it together!_ He scolded himself.

            "...I should have gotten a butterbeer..." He mumbled, running a hand through his hair and keeping it out of his face.

            "After this...did you want to go to that joke shop?" Yuuri inquired, hoping to change the subject and not bore Viktor with what he thought were stupid issues.

            As he observed Yuuri, whose cheeks were flushed and had tiny beads of sweat resting on his forehead, and whose fingers twiddled around whenever he was anxious, Viktor felt strangely protective of the boy. Yuuri was a sixth year, and only one year younger, but still... Viktor hadn't exactly felt like this before; felt like he really wanted to care for someone. And he didn't want to let go of whatever this feeling was so easily, because he doubted he'd get the chance to feel it again. Additionally, it was Viktor's last year of school— after this year spent at Hogwarts, he'd be done. It was kind of a scary thought. Of course he already had a road paved out for him; of course he could just pursue a career as a famous, well-off, legendary Quidditch player... but wasn't there so much more beyond just that? In a sense, it didn't feel right. At all. On one hand, he had a big and shining future waiting for him, but on the other, he was so, so unsure of everything that it gave him heart palpitations and headaches.

            “Yeah... yeah, we can go!" He replied to Yuuri's question, nodding his head almost robotically. His expression then grew more serious, and he inhaled a firm breath, resting his chin on top of his hands.

            "Hey Yuuri, it's okay," Viktor muttered, unblinking.

            "Your anxiety... whatever it is, you're so much more than that. Way more than just some doctor's note with a prescription." He gave the boy a small, lopsided grin as he tilted his head against his hands, his cheek slightly squishing against the skin.

            "I'll help restore that lost confidence, if you'll let me." Yuuri felt his heart swell, a nice feeling...what was Viktor doing to him?

            Viktor's words brought him from his thoughts, crisp and clear, serious. He looked up and met his eyes, they were sharp, but not intimidating. He hadn't expected the other to recognize his problems...usually when people found out he had anxiety they opted to ignore it and just try their best to not set it off. And Yuuri was guilty of doing that himself. So much so that he still had no idea what he would do when he graduated next year...grad school was an option...but there weren't many magical grad schools. And they usually focused on specific talents...Yuuri stopped thinking about it before he got anxious again.

            "V-Viktor..." Yuuri gently clutched his chest, cheeks pink.

            "I...no one but Phichit has said anything like that...." He confessed, voice soft, touched.

            "Thank you..." He bit his lip and reached forward, grabbing his free hand. Glancing up at the other couples around them, Victor gave Yuuri's hand a gentle squeeze and let out a small laugh. It was funny— it almost felt as if they were a real couple in here now, blending in with the rest. It was funny, yet there was some part of it that Viktor secretly wished could come true. Yuuri returned the hand squeeze, and he noticed that his anxiety had calmed...the storm had moved on and the waves crashing in his mind had dulled to a peaceful sea.

            "I-I'll let you do it! And...in return I'll give you whatever you want! Within reason of course." He said, feeling a twinge of motivation spark in him. Then he got an idea.

            "Viktor! I got it! You help me...a-and I'll give you whatever the mirror tells you your heart's desire is. I'll fulfill that for you if I can."

            "Haha, let's not get too ahead of ourselves here," Viktor laughed, a mixture of nervousness and playfulness in his upbeat voice.

            "What if the mirror shows something too... explicit?" Victor jokes, raising an eyebrow mischievously and emphasizing the word. In all seriousness, though, he didn't want Yuuri promising anything too far-fetched or something that he wasn't completely sure of. To be honest, Viktor himself was skeptical about what he could possibly see in the mirror's reflection. Generally speaking, he did have practically everything one could want... would he be considered even more selfish than he already was, if he desired something more?

            "Explicit?" Yuuri repeated, blushing.

            "Well I'm not very experienced...but if you think me right for the job I could try." He joked, chuckling nervously.

            "Ah...I'm a little nervous to see what the mirror will show me. I don't even know what my heart truly wants for dinner tonight, let alone what it wants for a happy life." The raven haired boy teased. And yet something called to him, a word, a word he didn't want to confront because if he did confront it that would mean experiencing feelings he wasn’t ready for.

\-- ~ ~ ~ --

            That night, the two planned to meet up in a corridor on the seventh floor, where the Room of Requirement had been rumored to appear in the past. Viktor had snuck out of the Durmstrang dorms as quickly and quietly as he could, only receiving a few muffled noises and groans from the sleeping students. He ended up arriving at the rendezvous ten minutes early, though his hair was tied back rather clumsily, loose strands still hanging over his face and he hadn't bothered to get changed into any formalwear. He wondered if it looked like he was too excited and rushed for this casual meeting. After all, they were just looking for some mirror that was probably long gone. Nevertheless, he didn't complain about these odd surges of energy that he'd started getting since hanging around Yuuri; it was something new and unfamiliar and unexplored, but Viktor liked it. He pulled out his wand slowly, whispering a soft "Lumos" so he could see in the pitch-black hallway. It was a strangely exhilarating thing to think about- him and Yuuri sneaking about the school at night, trying to avoid getting caught. _Kind of like a pair of starstruck lovers!_ Viktor thought dreamily, leaning against the brick wall and gazing into the blue glow of his wand.

            Yuuri had kept quiet about their meeting, and when he snuck out that night he had made his way to the seventh floor slowly but surely. He didn't want to cast his Muffliato spell until he was with Viktor so they had the effects for the important part of their exhibition. He was in some sleeping leggings he thought were comfortable and a loose T-shirt, his robe around him and helping him blend into the pitch black darkness that surrounded him. The paintings that did wake as he passed said nothing, some whispering 'be safe' in a lewd fashion which made him blush. The paintings and ghosts were such teases! When he arrived he jumped at the light, but soon recognized it to be Viktor, his face illuminated in the light.

            "Viktor..." He whisper called, and shuffled over. He lowered his hood and smiled up at him, bringing out his wand.

            "Muffliato." He spoke confidently, and saw the white shield that surrounded them, keeping their noises silent to any guards.

            "It should be in the room at the end of the hall...the room covers all of that-" Yuuri gestured to the walls, and the ruins that lay in the room behind them.

            "-but the only entrance is that door." He informed, and coughed some.

            "...You ready?" Yuuri asked.

            Giving Yuuri a confident nod, Viktor hurried forward to their destined room. He was more than ready, actually. He'd heard of this mirror for years, ever since his first year at Durmstrang, when the guys would constantly whisper about some ”magical mirror that showed one's destiny.” Viktor, having been an oblivious 11-year old, was skeptical at the time; he doubted that such things could just go into your mind like that and draw out exactly what you desired. Plus, he was only eleven, and he'd had his flawless future completely set up for him— there wasn't anything else he truly needed. Until there was, and that was now. Time had changed things drastically, and the morose emptiness he felt always clinging to him was a burden; he just wanted closure, honestly— and if that meant looking into the mirror and fulfilling whatever it was that he wanted to deep down, then he had no problem with doing it. How complex could it be, anyway? He slowed to a stop as he arrived at the entrance, placing a hand firmly on the knob and looking over his shoulder to look at Yuuri.

            “Okay,” Viktor said, nodding and smiling reassuringly.

            “Let's go find out our heart's deepest desires, shall we?”

 

 

 

\-- ~ ~ ~ --

_The more time two souls spend entwined together, the harder it will be to separate them into two different entities again._


	3. Mirror & Mayhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mirror of Erised is right in front of our two protagonists! But what will they see? Are the visions as crystal clear as they seem? And what of the Tournament coming up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter! For that I apologize...BUT: Next week's chapter will be rather long! The next chapter is our first climax so to speak, so expect some intense feelings next week! But for now, enjoy another cute night with these two young lovers! Feel free to tell me what you guys like and don't like and how I can better serve you as the readers! <3

            Viktor strode in front of him, leading Yuuri along with the utmost confidence like he usually had. It made Yuuri feel a little better about everything, but he was still scared of what the mirror would show him. Yuuri hadn't known what the future held for him, what he wanted, any of that. Unlike Viktor who had the world at his fingertips, Yuuri had a lot of doors closed. All he needed to do was open them of course, the doors were not locked in the slightest, but getting Yuuri to reach out and turn the doorknob was easier said than done. Viktor grabbed the knob firmly and looked back at Yuuri, his smile reassuring. Yuuri nodded, nervous but determined.

            "Yes. Let's do it." He said, and held onto the other's shoulder as he tried the door. It was locked. Yuuri watched him try the ' _Alohomora_ ' spell, but nothing. Yuuri tried whispering- " _Colloportus_." But alas that did not work either. But he wasn't ready to give up. Then he remembered the book.

            "Viktor!" Yuuri exclaimed, and gently ushered him back. He stood and walked past the door three times, letting his mind think the one thing it had been thinking about all day. The mirror, and since he had no malicious intentions, only innocent curiosity, and perhaps the desire to spend time with Viktor, the door soon clicked. He blinked and tried the door knob, gasping when it found it unlocked and he opened the door. Yuuri stepped in slowly, looking around at the tall ceilings and the room lit by silver moonlight, turning his skin pale. All around them were other artifacts of the Battle of Hogwarts, the floor dusty and the windows a little dirty. But the room was still beautiful, columns with marble vines crawling up them and high ceilings with unlit chandeliers. Yuuri was enthralled by the historic room.

             He heard Viktor shut the door behind them, and as he turned his head a glint caught his peripherals. The mirror, the one of ages past, lay neatly tucked away in a corner, the window across from it allowing some light to reveal it. "There it is...the mirror." He whispered.

            The famous Mirror of Erised, Mirror of Desire; lay before them, undamaged but very rusty from years of lack of usage. Viktor took a second to let the whole thing sink in; they were really here. He and Yuuri had managed to find and uncover this ancient artifact, in the midst of all the hidden rooms and piles of dust. They'd actually done it, and it had been no simple task. What sat in front of them wasn't a joke; it was quite possibly the key to _real_ happiness, and that was definitely not to be taken lightly.

            "Indeed, it's the mirror..." Viktor muttered, enchanted by the euphoric aura that the object seemed to emit, despite it being worn out and dirty. He began taking soft steps forward toward the mirror, eager to finally take a good look at what so many people had pined for in the past. He felt lucky- so lucky to have the privilege of looking at himself in the spellbound glass- and so grateful that he wouldn't be alone when he did it. Before reaching the mirror completely, however, he paused mid-step, an almost indiscernible and uncertain smile crossing his lips. Yuuri stayed back some, watching Viktor approach it. He wondered if the other wanted this moment to be private, but then Viktor turned and looked at Yuuri, bobbing his head as a gesture for the boy to follow. He wanted the two of them to look into the mirror at the same time, together- it just felt right, and a little less vacant that way. Yuuri stumbled forward and dashed to his side, and he felt his heart begin to race when he realized what they were about to do.

            "Ready whenever you are," Viktor said, looking to Yuuri with a tender gaze. He assumed that it would probably be a big moment for the other boy too.. unless Yuuri actually did know what his deepest desires were in life. Yuuri would finally know what he was supposed to be fighting for, what his heart and soul needed to be at peace. And that meant a lot to the Slytherin, especially when he so often felt out of place and lost, running in place and never advancing or retrogressing. He took a deep breath and nodded.

            "I-I'm ready." He said, and looked over at Viktor. The other led, and Yuuri followed him to stand in front of the mirror. Yuuri looked down, not wanting to see his reflection yet, and when they were in front of it, feet planted and bodies facing the large and enchanted glass...he finally moved his gaze up, locking his eyes with the reflection his saw.

            Viktor was unable to contain his anticipation anymore, and unlike Yuuri, Viktor eyes wandered straight into the mirror as soon as he had the other male's word of confirmation. What he immediately saw actually wasn't alarming; at first glance, it looked as if nothing had changed. He was still the same old Viktor that he'd look at in a mirror every morning. Had the magic on this thing worn out since the battle? He thought for a moment, confused as to if that were even possible. He felt his nerves slowly die down, whilst some disappointment welled up inside his chest. However, seconds later, his “reflection” moved, in contrast to his stillness in real life. A broad, almost wobbly, and truly content smile spread across his face to the point where his eyes crinkled slightly, capturing nothing but bliss and pure joy.

            Viktor swore he saw tiny tears bunching up at the corner of those said eyes in his reflection, but he couldn't tell exactly and doubted it considering he hadn't actually cried in... months, maybe a few years... And then, to add on to the initial smile, his reflection held up his hand, admiring something on it with caution and affection— what was it? Viktor thought, narrowing his eyes and taking a step closer to the glass. Oh, he realized, eyes widening a little. It's a ring. It was a simple, little, golden band that radiated warmth and seemed to almost gleam bright through the mirror, filling in the dimness of the old room the two were situated in. Viktor wasn't sure what the ring was for, exactly. It was an ambiguous thing to question. _Is it a marriage ring?!_ He thought, then shaking it off after realizing that he was still only seventeen... an engagement ring, then? A promise ring? One half of a friendship bracelet, but in ring form?

            His ultimate question, though— what the hell did it all mean? He saw himself, looking even cheerier and somehow more obnoxious than he always forced himself to look in the public's eye. He also saw a ring on his finger, possessing too many meanings for him to just narrow down to one. It frustrated him slightly— he knew this mirror was old, but did it really have to go all wise and mysterious now?

            For a while Yuuri had a hard time concentrating, he kept looking over at Viktor's reflection, as if nervous the other was judging him even though he knew the other was too engrossed in his own message. So, the boy stepped forward, sixteen and shaking slightly. And it was then that he saw the difference, now he was apart from Viktor by just a few feet...but the Viktor in the reflection followed him, he gasped silently, heart clenching. He looked back, Viktor was still back there...he whipped his head back, Viktor had his arm around his waist? Yuuri felt his face heat up, and the reflection laughed. He jumped some and stared, he....looked happy. His smile was not forced, his shoulders were relaxed and his eyes were full of a life in which he had never seen. He saw his mother and father join in the reflection, happy together like they always had been, Phichit taking pictures...happy. Everyone looked so happy and for the first time in his life he looked happy with them! Even his sister was smiling! He stepped even closer, and noticed happy tears falling down the other's face as he held up his hand, a ring on his finger. And for a moment he wondered if Viktor had a matching ring...but the other's hand could not be seen as it was in his pocket. What was the ring for? Was it a marriage ring? Engagement? A promise ring? Perhaps a good luck charm? It had to be the last one...good luck charms were common in his family. He had given Phichit silver earrings as a good luck charm the year prior for finals, and he wore them whenever he had tests. But it couldn't be that simple could it? His heart desired to be happy? Or was it that his heart wanted Yuuri to be happy? His mind? Was this a him that didn't have anxiety or crippling depression? Was this a him that actually saw worth in himself? It seemed so...so what did it mean? Yuuri didn't realize he himself had begun to cry, silent tears dripped down his face. Seeing his family together, seeing himself so carefree and relaxed, with a mysterious ring on his finger and a content smile on his face, Viktor seeming to be a part of it all as if he had known him for years...it shook him to his core. This was something he never thought he would have. Surely Viktor wouldn't stick around...He had to write it down somewhere, see if he could figure it out.

            Viktor stared at the reflection for what seemed like an eternity, trying to interpret it- to bring the pieces of the puzzle together. It didn't seem like a very difficult thing to do- it wasn't like his reflection showed him looking completely changed, standing together with some stranger he'd never seen in his life. But after some thought, Viktor concluded that it would've probably been _easier_ if his reflection showed him completely different- if his desires were as simple as getting a makeover and a partner. Instead, his reflection looked exactly like him, apart from their expressions, and the little golden ring. Finally, he shot a glance at Yuuri through the corner of his eyes, curious to see how the other boy was taking it- only to find him standing there, paralyzed, and fat tears rolling out of his eyes, down his cheeks, with no sign of stopping. _Oh god,_ Viktor thought uneasily, taking his eyes off the mirror and shifting his attention to Yuuri. Were those happy tears, or distressed ones? And what exactly did Yuuri see in the mirror? Viktor had never been good at consulting and comforting people, due to his bluntness. Crying was a thing that he rarely did himself, and something that people around him, at Durmstrang, loathed.

            "Umm, Yuuri?" He started, placing a hand on Yuuri's shoulder carefully.

            "We can go if you want. If you don't like whatever you're seeing..."

            Yuuri didn't realize Viktor had noticed, he was still staring at himself and watching as his reflection gave him a comforting smile. Would he ever achieve whatever this was? His heart whispered that he would, but Yuuri was convinced it was too good to be true. He had been this mess for as long as he could remember, always average...never anything standing out. He had been blown away when he had been asked to be seeker for the team, he hadn't thought he was good enough. He felt his heart jump as his attention was torn away from the mirror, a hand rested on his shoulder carefully. It was Viktor, real Viktor and not reflection Viktor which was now...kissing his cheek. Was this mirror real? Or was it some joke? Because Yuuri was beginning to think this was some cruel joke, that or he was really stupid and his heart's desire was something impossible to achieve. He turned away from it, looking over to the other. Yuuri wiped his eyes, a soft sniffle escaping. He began berating himself quietly for showing such weakness in front of Viktor, Viktor who was strong and stable.

            "I-I'm fine...it was just...it was emotional." The boy said softly, trying to keep his voice steady.

            "That a-and it's something I'll never achieve...so it hurts." He confessed, and wiped more tears.

            "You can keep looking if you want...I'm sorry I distracted you..."

            The fact that the two had only met the night before, and yet here they were, doing something so unexpected and so private— something as intriguing as looking into the one and only Mirror of Erised... it made an unfamiliar feeling of closeness and intimacy bubble up inside Viktor, and though he'd never really cared about much in the past, now he just wanted to help Yuuri. He merely wanted to wipe the tears away, and stop them from continually flowing; he wanted to reassure Yuuri, to tell him that he was capable of so much more than he thought, and that he had all the ability in the world to overpower his anxiety. But Viktor, somehow, couldn't get the words out. He tried to summon the inner charisma and charm he so often used in any and all situations, but it wasn't there— it was almost like he'd been stripped of everything that made him, who most people thought he was— and was only left with the bare bones, a boy really not-so-suave and not-so-refined.

            “H-hey, don't say that,” Viktor sputtered out, his eyes planted on Yuuri, blinking in concern. He then placed his other hand on Yuuri's shoulder as well, directing him away from the mirror. With the endless tears pouring down his face, Viktor swore he could hear his own heart slightly shattering. Yuuri wanted to push him away, tell him that he was fine and there was nothing to worry about, but he couldn't. He was so used to putting his problems down, not letting anyone in, but in that moment all he could do was clench his fists and sniffle, stepping closer when Viktor turned him away from the mirror.

            “I don't know you all that well, but—! I know that whatever you see in that mirror, you can definitely do it.” He hesitated, thinking of how to continue.

            “I'll help. Remember, we made a promise, hm?”

             "W-What I saw in that mirror was a dream, Viktor. A dream that can't possibly be true, I-I'm not as talented as you think..." He confessed, wiping his eyes and looking up at him.

            "I'm just some average nobody here at Hogwarts, I have no special talent in any magic that counts towards a living, I-I don't even know what I want to do with my life and I graduate next year." Yuuri sighed and glanced away. Viktor had promised to help him, but with what? His confidence? How could he do that in the half semester they had together for the tri-wizard tournament?

            "I'm sorry...I didn't mean for that to turn into a self-loathing session." Yuuri rubbed his arm.

            "I-I don't know a lot about you either, but I do know I look up to you a lot...it can't be easy being in your place but you pull it off with confidence and you're so talented...you work so hard, I don't know if anyone's ever told you this: but I'm proud of you, Viktor. I'm proud of how you deal with all the media and still manage to continue your studies and personal life. I'm proud of how strong you are...I-It's something I've aspired to be, but I'm just not that strong." Whatever was in this room was making him like an open book and he hated it, he'd never dream of opening up this much to a mere stranger, but he had known Viktor for a day and all he knew was that he wanted to continue to get to know him.

            Not expecting the honest heart-to-heart and sudden praise, Viktor felt something in his chest flutter, and an appreciation steadily accumulated for this new, pleasant feeling. Before, he'd always been worshipped like some inhuman miracle, constantly being asked "how he did it" and "how he planned to surprise the wizarding world next," and so on. So now, being told that somebody was _proud_ of him for who he currently was, and not being interrogated about his future— it was a true blessing.

            “Thank you... thank you, seriously," Viktor replied, still looking at the other intently.

            “But, you don't take enough credit for yourself. I'm proud of _you_ , for coming this far. You have bad anxiety, don't you?” Viktor bent his head down slightly to meet Yuuri's eyes, which were glassy and glistening with tears under the pale moonlight. _Man, what should I say...?_ He asked himself, brows furrowing in deep thought. He couldn't be stupid now, or else he'd definitely break Yuuri's heart even more.

            “And yet... look how far you've come! You didn't let your emotions get the best of you. You're still here after sixteen years, you've kept pushing after this long—" Viktor exhaled quickly, before continuing to let the words fall out of his mouth—

            “There's still time, you just haven't found a passion yet... and besides,” Viktor gave Yuuri a soft smile, remembering the night before-

            “Your dancing is absolutely beautiful! You aren't talentless— you've certainly got me hooked.”

            Yuuri was glad Viktor took his praise seriously, he wondered how many timed he had heard those exact words. He felt the other shift and once again he was looking into the pale, blue eyes that captured his heart years ago. They were so close now, and behind the determination Yuuri could also see some hesitation, a bit of nervousness...but what Viktor was nervous or hesitant about he knew not. He took in the other's words, how he had made it this far and how there was still time. But what got to him was the fact that Viktor remembered his dancing and called it beautiful...that he was proud of him. He sniffled and felt a small smile tug at his lips.

            "T-Thank you..." Yuuri whispered, looking up at Viktor again.

            "That means a lot..." He said, voice a little croaky as gave him a quick hug. Seeing Yuuri's crying come to an end, brought Viktor immense relief. He thanked the gods that he didn't screw up and say anything wrong, that he hadn't added salt to the wound. At the hug Yuuri wrapped him in, Viktor let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding in, and returned the hug firmly, smiling to himself.

            "...I'll dance for you whenever you want...I um...liked having you watch." He confessed, and pulled away some.

            "Um...did you find what you wanted? In the mirror I mean."

            At Yuuri's question, however, he released their embrace and blinked slowly, thinking of an appropriate answer. Had he found what he wanted? Well, the correct answer was no, because he had no idea even what it was that he wished for. Everything was a blur, like he was trapped in foggy mist in the middle of a forest, and what he'd seen in the reflection only contributed to that fog. He just didn't understand; what did it all mean? Did he want to get married?! ...No, that couldn't be it— that wasn't exactly what he desired. Maybe, it referred to the empty, dull ache in his chest that sometimes tugged at his heartstrings, as if longing to be mended. Viktor wasn't quite sure.

            “Oh, well,” The Durmstrang wonder answered, brushing long strands of platinum hair that'd fallen out of his ponytail away, and averting his eyes to the side.

            “I... I'll figure it out, eventually.” Viktor muttered with a lighthearted chuckle, before quickly leading the topic elsewhere. Yuuri squeezed his shoulders.

            "You'll figure it out...we both will. Mine was simple I feel but the answer is still foggy..." He said.

            “All right, that was quite an adventure!” Viktor announced with a clap of his hands, his demeanor changing.

            “Would... do you want to get some sleep now? Don't want to hog you for too long,” He winked playfully, though it was probably barely visible in the dimness of the room.

            At the question of sleep he gave a shrug, the wink making him chuckle. Yuuri turned and walked towards the mirror again, his happy reflection was by itself now, and it held up the hand with the ring before taking it off. He watched in wonder and tilted his head, and as he got closer he realized the reflection was showing him something, an engraving. The reflection put the ring in its pocket and Yuuri's eyes widened as he felt a weight appear. He casually put his hand in his pocket and confirmed that yes...he had been given the ring. He looked up, and his reflection made a "shh" expression before winking. _'You'll know when to use it.'_ A voice rang. He slowly stepped back, turning back towards Viktor.

            "I'm ready...we can meet for breakfast tomorrow? O-Or whenever...you're fun to hang out with. This is the most adventuring I've ever done." He chuckled, Yuuri needed to get back to his room and figure out the ring, look at it…find what it was needed for.

            “Really?” Viktor asked, his fascinated stare following Yuuri as the boy put a hand in his pocket oddly, before taking it back out empty-handed and turning to face him.

            “Then we definitely need to do a lot more sneaking around while we still can...” He hummed, his voice trailing off as he placed a finger on his lip, already brainstorming ideas for their next time going out. Well, not going _out_ , but... wandering around the huge school as if they had no worries at all. He liked the sound of that. Not to mention, after the upcoming Yule Ball, the Triwizard Tournament would arrive and they wouldn't have much time for carefree things like this. Yuuri nodded, blushing before stuttering out-

             "I-I like sneaking around with you!" He got out, blushing. "So...let's sneak around more, and discover new things~" He encouraged, and was happy to hear that Viktor wanted to see him the following morning.

            “Okay, I'll see you tomorrow morning,” Viktor confirmed, then gave Yuuri's nose a small peck. Just to return the one he'd received last night.

            “до свидания, Yuuri!” Viktor gave Yuuri a quick wave, making a beeline for the door and enjoying the thrill and exhilaration of his spontaneity. He hurriedly left the room, before he could have any regrets.

            Yuuri froze when he kissed his nose, heart racing and he only snapped out of it when the other shut the door behind him.

            "Oh my..." He breathed, covering his face.

            "Viktor is...ahh...he's so many wonderful things." He whispered to himself, and then he remembered the ring. He hurriedly shoved his hand in his pocket and fished it out, looking at it before turning back to the mirror. As he looked closer there was a snowflake engraved on the inside...he glanced at his reflection, who was smiling softly and relaxing.

            "...T-Thank you." Yuuri blurted.

            "I don't know if you can hear me...b-but thank you." He decided that if his reflection in this mirror looked happiest with Viktor by his side, then he’d just have to follow him. If it was what his heart wanted…then he couldn’t fight that. This friendship they had felt right…who was he to question it?

            Finding his way back to the Slytherin commons in the dark he fumbled around his stuff for a string or chain of some sorts...and when he found a leather chain for necklaces he slid the ring on, and knotted the leather rope tight before putting it around his neck. He'd keep it safe...for now he needed to sleep, he'd have breakfast with the Durmstrang table and Viktor tomorrow.

~ - . - ~

            The next morning came far too slowly, as time seemed to be cursing him lately. Viktor realized that he'd been restless pretty often for the past two days, always looking forward to the next time he'd get to talk to Yuuri. He couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad one, but he honestly didn't mind either way. At half past seven, Viktor slipped out of bed quickly and got dressed, careful not to wake a cranky Yuri. It was surprising how many of the Durmstrang guys were still asleep- they might have been tough, able-bodied individuals, but they sure could sleep for days on end. Viktor never really understood that. The Great Hall was actually quite vacant when he entered, save from a few Beauxbatons students already up and about, and a couple Ravenclaws, _blue was Ravenclaw, right?_ He asked himself, dumbfounded. He found Mila Babicheva dozing alone at the Durmstrang table, and speedily paced over to her, poking her cheek. She woke a second later, startled, before seeing that it was only Viktor and then muttering a few Russian curses under her breath.

            "Haven't seen you around in quite a while," She said curiously with an exuberant undertone in her voice.

            "Well, because I've been so sick and weak in the hospital wing all week!" Viktor replied, exaggerating the sadness in his tone and letting out an overemotional sigh, to which Mila simply rolled her eyes.

            "Yeah? Well, the name drawings for the tournament are today," She said, sitting up and stretching.

            "Hope you're ready." Name drawings? Tournament? As in, the _Triwizard Tournament_? _Dammit_ , Viktor thought, sitting upright in his seat and eyes widening with shock. He'd been meaning to put his name in, but hadn't gotten around to it due to the accident- which meant he had to do it now, or else there'd be no more time.

            After hurriedly scribbling his name and school on a torn up piece of notebook paper he found on the ground, to which Mila just laughed at, Viktor decided to eat and then go put his name in the goblet so he could make the deadline, which was fifteen minutes away. He would wait for Yuuri afterwards. He wasn't exactly sure why he even wanted to enter the tournament. It wasn't something humorous to joke about— the Triwizard Tournament was notorious for causing the deaths of many students, and infamous for the Rebirth of Voldemort in 1994. Since then, they'd stopped hosting the tournament until recently, and even now, it was still considered a dangerous affair. Dragons, mermaids, and some deadly extreme-weather survival without the use of magic— yeah, death was definitely still very plausible. And yeah, it did sound menacing and risky— but that was exactly the kind of thrill and action that his spirit thrived off of, so of course he had to enter.

~ - . - ~

            Yuuri had awoken to Phichit poking him repeatedly.

            "Yuuri! Do you know what day it is?" He said excitedly, Yuuri groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head.

            "The day you let me sleep...?" He asked sarcastically.

            "Phht. No! Today we draw for the tri-wizard tournament!" Phichit announced, spinning in place. Yuuri's eyes widened in faux horror.

            "Oh no...I forgot to put my name in, again! Oh shucks....too bad." He had never wanted to participate, always deeming himself too weak.

            "No worries!" Phichit chirped.

            "I put your name in for you! Now you can totally compete!" He grinned. Yuuri felt his heart stop, and a loud, resounding-

            "You WHAT!?" Echoed throughout the Slytherin commons.

            "Don't be so nervous! I doubt you'll get picked~ It's your first time your name has been in!" He giggled. Yuuri sighed and began getting ready for the day, brushing his teeth, washing his face, combing his hair and getting dressed.

            "I hope you're right, Phichit...I-I have to go now though. Viktor is waiting." He said without thinking, and ran off to the Great Hall. Once again a loud and resounding-

            "Viktor is WHAT!?" Rang from Phichit.

            Viktor wasn't going to let some school tournament get the best of him. On his way over to the room that held the goblet of fire, with five minutes to go, he was coincidentally met with Yuuri. Yuuri ran into Viktor, bumping into him and falling on his behind.

            "Ah! S-Sorry Viktor!" He stuttered out, getting up.

            "I was just on my way to the Great Hall, I know it's eight...little later than I usually sleep in. Um...still hungry?" He asked, and noticed a piece of paper in his hands.

            “I just ate! But I can still wait,” Viktor said, stopping mid-step and fiddling with the paper in his hand.

            "Oh, are you putting your name in?"

             “Oh, yeah, I've gotta put my name in since it ends in less than five minutes! Wait here!” He said, waving and rushing off rapidly, attracting the curious glances of all the students walking past them. Viktor hurried up to the goblet, out of breath, and threw in the piece of paper. He watched the fierce, blazing blue fire swallow up the paper whole until it finally vanished completely, and he let out a relieved sigh. _Well, you've really done it,_ He thought, a small but steady grin creeping onto his lips. He felt a subtle rush of nervousness and anticipation meander down his spine, and despite the fact that there were probably hundreds of other names in there, he couldn't help but hope that he had a chance.

            Yuuri chuckled and watched Viktor run in, standing in the doorway and watching as Viktor walked past the barrier easily, it was to keep those too young to participate out. He dropped his name in, and the fire spit up the ashes in acceptance to the offering. Yuuri felt a little trickle of dread, what if his name was drawn? He wasn't advanced enough in any magic to even survive the challenges! He snapped out of it when Viktor came back over, deciding to not dwell on it too much. Phichit had put his name in because he was just trying to help Yuuri get out there more...but the chances of Yuuri being found worthy weren't very high. So surely he had nothing to worry about.

            "I haven't eaten yet...mind if we go back so I can grab a quick bite?" He asked.

            “Oh, of course! Let's go then,” Viktor said, placing a hand on Yuuri's back and leading the way back to the Great Hall, still disregarding the gradually growing stares and hushed whispers of the students around them. Yuuri blushed lightly, Viktor's hand had rested on his back in a friendly but protective fashion...and Yuuri found that he didn't mind it. Usually he was opposed to physical affection, only accepting it from family and Phichit during certain times.

            “Speaking of the tournament...” Viktor thought, suddenly, as they entered the Great Hall, which was now bustling with people.

            “Did _you_ enter it, Yuuri?”

            When asked about the tournament Yuuri sighed softly, nodding as they entered the bustling Great Hall.

            "I didn't want to...I always avoid entering my name. But Phichit put my name in there somehow, so now I have a chance of getting picked." He explained. He followed Viktor to a table and sat next to him, filling his plate with some fruit and eggs, and a muffin that looked rather tasty.

            "I'd probably panic if they called my name~" The sixth year chuckled.

            "I'm not nearly as strong as past contenders, I'd get myself killed!" Yuuri laughed, and popped a melon piece in his mouth.

            “I'm sure you'd manage to make it through alive,” Viktor joked, a bit surprised that Yuuri had actually, even if it was unwillingly, entered the tournament. Viktor felt strangely concerned. He knew Yuuri wasn't weak, that he underestimated himself and that he had a lot of wits buried under his anxious and clumsy shell. But this— this was the Triwizard Tournaments. Even the best wizards and witches of the past had met their doom in this competition, and even Viktor himself was already slightly worried for his own wellbeing, not to mention Yuuri's.

            “Though, I do hope they don't call your name. I wouldn't be able to stop worrying if they did,” He said boldly, looking to Yuuri with mixed emotions. He couldn't describe this strange feeling that swimming coming back to him and making his insides feel twisted, nauseating him— but in the least sickening, and best way possible. He wondered if this was the feeling that was described in all those cheesy romance novels that he so shamelessly loved; ‘butterflies in your stomach.’

            Yuuri couldn't describe the feeling that came over him when Viktor said he would actually _worry_ about him if he were to be chosen. His chest tightened and he felt his breath snatched from him, cheeks red. He coughed a bit and drank some milk, wiping his mouth afterwards with a napkin.

            "Whoever is picked...I hope they're safe." Yuuri sighed, and looked around at everyone in the hall. It was then he noticed the staring and whispers, and he immediately became self-conscious. Why were people looking at him? Had he done something weird? He tried to ignore it, turning to face Viktor.

            "There aren't classes today is there...because of the drawing this afternoon. Is there anything you'd like to see?"

            Oblivious to the eyes still glancing their way, Viktor sat his chin on his palms, resting his elbow on the table and staring into the ground, as he thought of somewhere else he wanted to go.

            “Hmm. We've been to lots of places that I've chosen...” The Russian drawled slowly, before a thought lit up over his head.

            “Take me to _your_ most favorite place here!”

            Yuuri broke his muffin in half, offering Viktor one half before eating his own.

            " _My_ favorite place...?" He asked, and thought for a moment.

            "Well...I-I um...I have a few. I'm sure we could see them." Yuuri hummed.

            "What sounds more interesting....mermaids or nymphs?" Yuuri may not have been friends with many humans, but due to that he found comfort in the most unusual of places...he had befriended a lot of non-human beings.

            "I hope they don't call your name either..." Yuuri admitted suddenly, blushing once more.

            "I have no doubt you'd do well, you're strong. But the thought of you getting hurt...or worse, it...it doesn't sit right with me. I'd feel better if I was able to protect you or if you weren't called at all." Later Yuuri would realize these were dooming words. His wish to protect Viktor would most certainly come true, in ways that he wouldn't expect.

            “I could say the same for you,” Viktor responded, devoid of all other words for once. He fought back the flattered smile on his lips that threatened to break out, and instead tried his best at a nonchalant expression. He'd been smiling idiotically and trying to hold back laughter a lot these past couple days— an affair that was usually very rare for him back at Durmstrang. At Durmstrang, he didn't have much time for fooling around and living freely, to be honest. He thought back to the Mirror of Erised, his own reflection staring back at him with a confident, positively happy grin, as if all was right with life. Viktor _did_ want that to be him— he would definitely strive for it (he gave no more thought to the golden ring, however). Breaking out of his enigmatic and puzzling thoughts, Viktor met the other's eyes again.

            “Mermaids or nymphs, huh?” He spoke aloud, pondering the two choices. Both were beautiful, gorgeous creatures that could switch from being lovely and kind one second, to horrifying and out-of-control the next, if ever provoked. It couldn't hurt to look at a few mermaids before the Tournament, just in case he'd ever need the new knowledge. On the other hand, nymphs were probably the safer choice of the two, plus they resided on land, which would be more convenient. So—

            “Mermaids!” He stated, nodding his head affirmatively. Yuuri chuckled and nodded.

            "Mermaids it is. I have the perfect spot." He explained proudly, and finished up his breakfast. He stood and waited for Viktor to follow.

            "It's outside, I hope you don't mind a short walk to the lagoon, and around it." He hummed, paying no mind to whispers around them. The other students seemed to think magical creatures were either your allies or below you. But never your equals, and that bothered Yuuri. He had always been taught to be kind to all creatures of all walks of life, it was yet another obstacle that prevented him from seeming ‘normal’ here at Hogwarts. But it wasn’t one that bothered him too much, because at least with this difference he got some comfort out of it. His relationships with the mermaids, nymphs, and other creatures in Hogwarts domain were like his second family. They were friends he could go to when he needed wisdom and guidance, and he knew he would come back to visit them even after he graduated. To show Viktor this part of Hogwarts, the part that not many people paid attention to, was gratifying to him. He was happy to share it.

 

 

 


	4. Meet the Mermaids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viktor has never seen a mermaid before, but Yuuri finds humans intimidating and so has befriended many magical creatures that dwell in and around Hogwarts. Viktor is becoming more intrigued in this mysterious Slytherin, and with the Triwizard Tournament drawing happening in a few hours, things are about to get interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is not long I apologize!!! But prepare for ACTUAL ACTION next chapter I promise! This is one of my favorite chapters honestly, I had a lot of fun creating this part with h2hoe! Feel free to leave feedback and kudos~ We really appreciate it!

            The lagoon was a popular gathering space, but there was a part that not many students went to, completely on the other side. It was farther from the campus, and it’s where the mermaids of the water resided and played. A lot of the students had distrust of mermaids from stories and tales of past Triwizard Tournaments, but Yuuri found them very pleasant. It was a rocky shore, with small pebbles that Yuuri always loved skipping and tossing into the dark and cold waters. It was far enough from Hogwarts that it was quiet, but close enough that he wasn't in any danger...it was his favorite place to meditate and just breathe. He led Viktor outside, feeling the cold metal of the ring bump against his chest every now and then. A little reminder of what he saw. Happiness he decided to call it. He wanted it...but had no idea how to achieve it. He turned off on a path and reached for Viktor's hand absentmindedly.

            "Stick close, getting lose in the woods isn't fun. Trust me." He said, and began to weave through the trees and ferns as he followed the deer trail that he always used to find his way to his secret spot.

            Although it was still early November, the air outside was frozen lace on Viktor's skin, delicate and cold like winter waves on sallow sand. He hid his face partly in the warmth and comfort of the matted wool of the cape hanging over one shoulder, sighing contentedly. It seemed that winter was coming a bit earlier this year, he thought, mesmerized by the views that Yuuri led him past. The sky was washed with grey, watery light illuminating thin patches to brilliance. A short moment later, however, he found the sky overpowered by endless rows of towering trees. The grey was blocked away by various shades of orange and dark brown leaves, only barely managing to still cling onto the more depressing, paper thin branches.

            “My, you really do know your way around here,” Viktor said, impressed, an element of fondness adorning his tone. He could see his breath rise in visible puffs to join the dim, clouded out sky. He held onto Yuuri's hand a hint tighter, just for the sake of warmth, and wondered how the wizard knew about so many secret places in Hogwarts.

            Yuuri always enjoyed this time of year, the cold was different for him. Winter didn't last long in Japan, and the summers were hot and wet and humid. Here, in England, at Hogwarts...the weather was different; Yuuri found it gorgeous. The soft puffs of air that came from his lips were like small clouds, the golds and browns and reds of the trees seemed to make the lake stand out more against the land. At Viktor's comment, he noticed how he squeezed his hand some, and with pink cheeks he returned the squeeze. Viktor was warm...

            "Yeah, I um...come out here quite often. I know lots of places away from people." He chuckled, coming out of the forest brush. There was a rocky shore, the rocks smooth and dark in colors. He walked carefully, still holding Viktor's hand before letting go to climb up on a large rock that brought them a few meters into the lake. Viktor settled on top of the large rock right beside Yuuri, Viktor stared out into the wondrous sight before them with astonishment. To be frank, this morning was a bit damp and bleak, a light grey mist hanging over the lake like a veil. The slow methodical beat of a heron's wings in the distance permeated throughout the area, soothing and steady. His eyes scanned the whole scene, and a deep sense of serenity overcame him as he absorbed the calming and almost magical aura that the expanse of deep blue gave off. Rays of lights that birthed from the early morning sun, which was partly hidden behind clouds, danced delicately across the water, making the landscape all the more stunning. They both sat on the edge, feet hanging off it. Yuuri picked up a small rock and used his wand to put a single mark on it with a spell, his name in Japanese characters. It was how he let the mermaids know that it was him there, that they needn't be afraid or confrontational. He tossed the rock in and relaxed.

            "Now we wait...sometimes they take a while come up, but usually there's one or two dwelling around this area." Yuuri hummed, looking over at him.

            "Pretty...isn't it?" Yuuri had asked, as a delicate breeze blew past him and brushed the bangs out of his face. The raven haired boy’s hands grew cold as he rested them on the rock. He let out a small shiver and rubbed his hands together.

            “Yeah,” Viktor murmured somewhat breathlessly, not looking at the lake or the sky or the trees. Viktor almost wished he could become a mermaid, just so he'd have this to wake up to every morning. His eyes were slowly led back to land on Yuuri, whom was also admiring the beauty of the lake before them. The boy looked so relaxed, not tense or anxious like he usually was— it was a rare but pleasant sight for Viktor. The water sloshed against the shore quietly, the constant ebb and flow reminded Yuuri of a heartbeat. The lake was alive, the waves its breaths and the life within it its heart. He was mesmerized by the beauty of it, always had been. Yuuri would often bring his lunch out here, and sometimes he would share with the mermaids if he knew the food wouldn't hurt them. He didn't even notice that Viktor was staring at him, the cool breeze cooled his skin, and he let out a content sigh, closing his eyes. He really did love it here, it was spots like these that helped him deal with his anxiety. Here, in the quiet, he could think clearly, he could really be himself. He could just exist and not worry about anything...he would miss it when he graduated next year. A shiver quickly ran down his form, making the young wizard sigh.

            "I should have brought a heavier robe." Yuuri muttered to himself. And for a moment Viktor’s mind was clouded, and there was suddenly something stopping him from finding solace and comfort in the perfectness of the moment— shutting him up to prevent him from saying what he wanted to say. Instead, he quickly shook his head and snapped out of the brief trance, blinking.

            “Ah, here!” He chirped, throwing his fur-lined cape over the both of them, though it was barely big enough. He scooted slightly closer until there was little space between them. Their thighs were pressed together on the rough surface of the rock, though a childlike hesitation was still present in their touches. Yuuri blinked as he was taken out of his respite, a warm fur cape being draped over him. He looked over to see Viktor sharing his Durmstrang cape, he had moved closer...their thighs barely touching but it still made the other feel as it embers were singing his skin softly. He gave a soft and shy smile, adjusting the glasses on his face.

            "Ah...t-thank you~" Yuuri stammered, and moved closer to close the gap. He let his hands hold onto the cape loosely, feeling the fur and closing his eyes. The peace was broken by a splash though, and he opened his eyes to gaze upon of the regular mermaids staring up at them. Yuuri gave a smile and a wave.

            "Good morning~" He cooed, and the girl smiled back. Her webbed fingers waved in greeting, and her skin was pale and grey-like in the sun. Her eyes were dark, teeth sharp, but her tail glistened in the light, flicking as she lounged on some smaller rocks below. Fascinated at the sight of a real-life mermaid in front of him, Viktor couldn't help but lean forward with excitement and give her a small wave, whilst almost losing his balance and falling into the lake below. She was both a gorgeous, and rather terrifying sight to behold, with a mane of wild green hair, dark beady eyes, and a magnificent, shimmery tail. The mermaid, apparently called Myrla, bore some resemblance to humans, but all her features were much sharper- more intense and fierce, in spite of the easygoing smile planted on her face. It was absolutely incredible.

            "You brought a visitor." She hummed, motioning to Viktor.

            "Is this that handsome, Durmstrang Captain you're always telling us about~?" She teased. Yuuri blushed and laughed nervously.

            "M-Myrla..." Yuuri swore softly, but then nodded.

            "This is Viktor Nikiforov. I'm showing him around Hogwarts. He wanted to see you guys." He explained, seeming at home. Myrla grinned, swishing her tail.

            "Well you came to the right place...a lot of us are still asleep~ But I'm sure Ednis will be up soon too!" She chirped. Yuuri nodded, Ednis was around thirty years old in looks, very wise and often helped him in breathing techniques to soothe his panics. He adored her and often came to her for advice.

            Viktor was familiar with numerous magical creatures with all his years of studying, but he'd yet to encounter a mermaid until now.

            "Amazing!" Was all he could manage to get out as he analyzed all the unique attributes of the mermaid, in all her glory. He then smirked slightly, scooting forward on the rock as far as he could to get closer to the mermaid without dropping into water. Yuuri gasped as he moved closer. "V-Viktor careful!" He squeaked.

            "Hnn, Myrla... what does Yuuri say about me to you guys?" He asked teasingly, enjoying the flustered expression on Yuuri's face. His cheeks were flowering pink and his eyes were wide in an innocent humiliation.

            "Weeellll-" Myrla tapped her chin teasingly, laughing as Yuuri screeched quietly in embarrassment. She loved teasing him. But she didn't want to upset him in front of the man he so obviously had a crush on. How Yuuri hadn't figured it out yet she'd never know. She motioned for Viktor to come closer and leaned up, speaking softly.

            "He really admires you...says you're the best wizard he's ever seen, I’d wager to say he's your biggest fan. But he's fragile...don't hurt him. Just a few days ago he was crying here because he was afraid he had put you out of commission from the fall you had, take care of him?" She booped his nose and went back to the water, leaning her head on the rock. Viktor listened to Myrla's words intently, and although she spoke in a lighthearted tone, he knew that it was definitely wise to listen to her- after all, she'd definitely spent a lot more time talking to Yuuri than Viktor had himself.

            "Don't worry," Viktor replied with a perky wink as Myrla poked his nose. He liked joking around, and he'd always been a naturally flirtatious person, clueless at times- but he knew better than to hurt someone like Yuuri.

            "W-What did you tell him?" Yuuri asked in fear.

            "Nothing personal~ Your secrets of wanting to marry him are safe with me~" She winked.

            "MYRLA!" He fell back and laid on the rock, covering his face with the Durmstrang cape.

            "I'm going to die...just let me drown..." Yuuri breathed, embarrassed. He had mentioned marriage ONCE. It had been late at night and he couldn’t sleep and as usual he had been trying to copy Viktor’s stance he had seen in pictures and magazines. He tried copying Viktor in his magic so he too could be talented and strong. _“If only I was a girl so Viktor would pay attention to me, then I could fantasize about marrying him too!”_ He had half-joked, half lamented.

            Viktor's head slowly turned to face Yuuri's direction, and he blinked a few times, wondering if he'd actually heard correctly. _Marry_ him?! The more he thought about it, though, the less strange it became, really. He'd heard lots of girls (not necessarily guys, however) in the past joke about being able to marry "the dreamy Viktor Nikiforov," and he'd received an endless amount of love letters throughout his seven years at Durmstrang. It wasn't like he'd never heard it before- Yuuri was probably kidding about wanting to marry him too. It's nothing more than that, _you idiot_ , Viktor told himself, sighing- not really with relief, but more with some odd dissatisfaction.

            "Ahaha, Yuuri! You want to _marry_ me?" Viktor laughed, breaking out of his meaningless thoughts. He wrapped an arm around Yuuri's shoulder, pulling the boy in closer.

            "Don't feel ashamed- you aren't the first! I'm just too handsome and irresistible, aren't I?" Yuuri squeaked as he was pulled closer, still hiding under the cape.

            "I-It's not that I'm ashamed! I-I'm just not..." He trailed off, and Myrla finished the sentence.

            "Good enough. You're not good enough, you always say that, sweetie. I would wager to say out of all his fans, you would be the most worthy of taking this man's hand. At least you stare at him for a reason, not just to satisfy your carnal needs. You use him as reference for practice!" She defended, tail swishing. Another splash indicated that another mermaid had joined, and Yuuri peeked out, eyes watery with shame, he saw Ednis. This mermaid was older, more mother like. She had a bigger stature and long black hair, she gave a toothy grin and swam up as close as she could. The now two mermaids before them were quite a rare sight to see; their beauty was ethereal- otherwordly, almost. It was certainly different, as they didn't possess the stick-thin figure and flawless features of those Muggle supermodels. They were so human-like, and yet at the same time, so mythical, with the grey hue on their skins, sharp teeth, and scaled tails that reflected the sun's golden glow.

            "What's this I hear about Yuuri and-oh...who is this handsome fellow?" She asked. Myrla giggled.

            "That's his precious Viktor Nikiforov!" Ednis smiled sweetly. "How adorable...now Yuuri, were you self-deprecating again?"

            Yuuri pouted. "No-" "

            Yes!" Myrla interjected. Ednis laughed. "Oh stop hiding! Viktor is smiling dear, whatever has happened he surely isn't offended in the slightest. Come out, now..." She turned to Viktor once Yuuri had come out, reaching up and shaking his hand. Viktor took the mermaid named Ednis's hand, amazed by the subtle yet noticeable difference in texture of the creature's hand, as compared with his own- it was somewhat like sandpaper or perhaps stone, rough and unfinished, and made his nerves tingle just at the touch.

            "You're a little young for marriage dear, but if you want Yuuri you need my blessing." She winked.

            "How are you liking Hogwarts so far? I see you've healed up nicely~ Was it Yuuri? He is quite good with healing." Ednis moved on, changing the topic. 

            "Hogwarts is lovely, without a doubt," Viktor nodded, smiling fondly in response to Ednis's wink (he would get along with her just swell, he thought). Before he'd acquainted himself with Yuuri, his answer would have most likely been a simple "Hogwarts is all right; it's different!" But considering all the new places Yuuri had now taken him, and all the new experiences he'd gone though in the short span of two days- Hogwarts was certainly astonishing- and he wasn't just referring to the castle itself.

            "Ah, yeah, I did heal up!" Viktor continued, recalling the first night he'd caught Yuuri in the hospital wing. "Thanks to Yuuri's amazing dancing," He simpered, hugging the male close to his side.

            "Yuuri you danced for Viktor? That's amazing! You haven't danced in so long!" Myrla squealed. Ednis nodded, tail swishing lazily in the water. Ednis smiled, a soft and motherly like one. She was happy to see Yuuri finally achieving one of his goals. He had always been shy and had longed to find more friends, she was proud of him. The way Viktor hugged him close only made her feel like this would work out.

            "I was completely healed in minutes! I have to say, however... his dancing did more than just heal my injuries." A small smirk slid onto Viktor's lips, but he revealed no more than that.

            "Mhm...I think you danced for us a few months back...when you had just moved in again after summer. I told you that your talent would come in handy one day." She looked at Viktor's smirk, giving a knowing mischievous look of her own in return.

            Yuuri meanwhile was blushing furiously, but didn't pull away when Viktor hugged him close, and instead squirmed until he had the cape over both him and Viktor so he wouldn't get cold. He then laid his head on his shoulder shyly as he let Viktor get acquainted with the mermaids. He didn't understand Viktor's smirk, and bit his lip.

            "What do you mean...? W-What else did I heal?" Yuuri asked, hugging his knees to get comfortable. Myrla cackled and sunk into the water more.

            "Yuuri you're so innocent!" She teased.

            "I am not!" Yuuri pouted.

            "Phhht yeah whatever, bet you never even kissed someone~ And I don't mean a cute little peck either. You're so pure~ It's adorable!" Yuuri blushed deeply and stuck his tongue out at Myrla.

            "S-Shhh! I can't go everywhere shirtless and feel confident about it like you do." He poked back, not being mean about it though. Ednis chuckled and shook her head. Viktor let out a satisfied huff as he watched the continuous bickering between Yuuri and Myrla- Yuuri's innocent naivety with Myrla's contrasting suggestive jokes, while Ednis just watched in the background, amused. It all felt so natural, but so surreal at the same time. Viktor could only hope that he could even become half as close to the mermaids as Yuuri was with them. Or even become half as good friends with /Yuuri/, as the mermaids seemed to be with him. Although, it most likely wouldn't happen- they only had until June here at Hogwarts- before Viktor would have to leave and go pursue whatever it was that he would do for hopefully the rest of his life- but he chose not to dwell on that intimidating thought for now.

            "You two were meant to be siblings...~ Do you not have classes today Yuuri? Usually you only visit us in the early morning hours or at night. But the sun is higher than usual, it’s past your first hour classes." She hummed.

            "O-Oh no. There's the triwizard tournament coming up. They're drawing today, I can come back later and let you know the results if you'd like? Or you can meet me by the Slytherin commons. The windows and such are clean so we can see each other through them again."

            At the discussion of the Triwizard Tournament, Viktor immediately piped in; he'd almost forgotten about it again- the name drawing was just a few, short hours away.

            "Ah yes, let me join you in visiting them tonight!" He prodded excitedly, shifting his gaze from the mermaids to Yuuri, with eager eyes. After his experience from the previous few nights, he now searched for any excuse to spend more time exploring Hogwarts with Yuuri- it was probably more real fun than he'd had in ages. Yuuri nodded and gave a small chuckle.

            “You're more than welcome to join me." Yuuri allowed, smiling shyly at him.

            "Although," Viktor mumbled, suddenly reminded of the following Quidditch match the next morning- and his lack of practice the past week, since before the whole incident.

            "There's an early morning match tomorrow... so we'd best not spend too long out here." Viktor drawled, blinking when Ednis suddenly clapped her hands happily.

            "Oh Yuuri...I'm so happy you've made another friend~ You and Phichit get along well...but he is a social butterfly, you tend to like more intimate and quiet settings." She chuckled. Yuuri nodded, pushing some of his hair out of his face.

            "F-Friend..." He looked up at Viktor, and he couldn't help the slight hope in his eyes.

            "...You...wouldn't mind being friends, right?" He asked.

            "Ehh, of course we're-" Viktor started, raising his eyebrows. However, he was immediately cut off Myrla's high-pitched giggle, and the sight of his cape quickly blocking his sight of vision, a strong grip placed on his shoulders- in the blink of an eye, Yuuri's lips had made contact with his own. Yuuri had yelped as he was pushed towards the other roughly, realizing they had collided.

            "NOW you're a man! You've kissed someone! Now he's gotta be your friend!" Myrla giggled. Yuuri pulled slowly, embarrassment flaming on his face as he scoot back to where he was. Viktor hardly had any time to react as all the wind was knocked from his lungs, because as soon as it happened, the kiss was over. It was merely a brush; short and sweet, and nothing Viktor had never experienced before. But hell... if eyes were the gateway to the soul, then lips were the same thing for the body. In the brief span of a second or two, Yuuri's lips felt like softness, passion, a promise of the sweetness to come- a sweetness that he, unfortunately, would never have the pleasure of receiving

            "I-I'm so sorry! You're not hurt are you? Did I collide with you hard? Y-You're not bleeding are you?" Yuuri prattled nervously, avoiding the topic of the kiss. Ednis laughed and shook her head fondly. Viktor blinked, realizing that the moment had ended- and let out a light chuckle, brushing away the wisps of his hair that had fallen onto his face during the collision.

            "Don't worry! You didn't cause any... physical harm, this time," He teased, quickly casting Myrla a knowing glance and mouthed "thank you."

            "Alright...you two better head along soon for the drawing...Myrla and I have to go before we dry out~ We'll see you tonight! You know how to get our attention." She cooed, and the mermaids slowly disappeared back into the lagoon, leaving the two alone.

            "Viktor? Ah...sorry! Myrla is a jokester, she's always wanted me to....'get out there' and stuff, I hope it didn't offend you." He bowed politely. Viktor watched as the mermaids dove back into the lake, Viktor slowly turned to look at Yuuri again. The other had awe and embarrassment painted all over his face as he apologized profusely, even bowing. _Huh_ , Viktor thought, the corners of his lips turning upwards subtly, and sighing. Yuuri really was adorable. And almost much _too_ wholesome.

            "Don't fret about it so much, Yuuri," Viktor said in a relaxed tone, standing up and lifting the other boy's chin slightly to meet his gaze. He let his smile widen, youthful confidence worn in his quizzical, joyful eyes.

            "Who said I took offense? After all... nobody here knows about this whole other part of you. It may be an alluring side of you that you yourself are unaware of." Viktor dropped his hand swiftly, readjusting his cape, and turned to make the trip back into Hogwarts. Yuuri watched Viktor stand, he guessed that he probably wasn't offended, but he didn't know who Viktor was into...and he didn't want to inconvenience him in any way. He blushed as the other grabbed his chin gently, his gaze staring into his own.  

            "A-Alluring...?" Yuuri asked softly, and just like that Viktor had stepped back, shrugging his cape on to head back to Hogwarts. Yuuri bit his lip before gently tugging his cape

            "I only hope that was a worthy first kiss for you,” Viktor muttered playfully.

            "...I-It was worthy, but much too short, if I had known I'd share it with you I would have at least put some chap stick on first~" The other said shyly, yet he had a slight playful tone in his voice. He straightened up and walked past him, sparing a glance over his shoulder. He may have looked confident in that moment, but Yuuri's insides were shaking. Was he flirting? Was this how flirting worked? What in the world was he doing?

            "Well...what are you waiting for, Viktor? We've got an hour until the drawing, and a nice walk back to campus." He hummed, pushing his hair back out of his face, a habit of his. He was pretty blind without his glasses, so his hair would sometimes get in the way, but he didn't like cutting his bangs because if they were shorter they just...looked weird. Viktor felt a tingling sensation in his chest, his heart only _slightly_ swelling at Yuuri's remark, the teasing undertone in his voice. A small but bold smirk was present on his face, an expression that Viktor had yet to see come from Yuuri. Oh, no— was Yuuri Katsuki... _flirting_ with him? Because, hell... Yuuri was so bad at it, yet somehow so GOOD at the same time, and it worked. It worked. Before Viktor could think up a clever response back, however, Yuuri was heading for the trail back to Hogwarts, ushering for Viktor to follow. He brushed off small bits of dirt and pebbles from sitting on the rock, as a dreamy sigh escaped from his lips, and trampled up the hill to meet Yuuri— who, was now pushing his bangs back out of his face, and looked so, so good doing it too...

            “Well, if that one wasn't long enough,” Viktor drawled slowly, not glancing at the other male,  “-we've always got time for another!”. Yuuri felt his heart clench at the comment, cheeks pink.

            "Very true...I suppose we could probably find time to try it again." He hummed, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

            "Though you might have to teach me, Myrla wasn't kidding when she said I was um...innocent. Don't really get out much." The younger boy confessed, chuckling a little and then changing the subject because what in Dumbledore's name was he doing? Viktor gave a quick raise of his eyebrow in Yuuri's direction, surprised by the other's agreement to his offer of another kiss- had Yuuri really meant that? Or did the small chuckle following his statement signify that he was simply joking? Either way, there was no time to ponder the thought, as Yuuri moved onto another topic, and brought up the Triwizard Tournament.

            "So who do you think is going to be chosen!” Yuuri asked, a hand playing with the ring that laid on his chest through his shirt. The smooth feel of it calmed him some, and he coughed some awkwardly.

            "People uh...people keep saying Otabek is going to represent Hogwarts. I wouldn't be surprised, kid is strong. He's in Ravenclaw for a reason, very resourceful too I've heard. He’s not on the Slytherin team, but when Hogwarts goes against other schools we take the best players from the houses. It’s a little competition and the Captain’s nominate and vote on who is on the team. Mickey and I are from Slytherin, Kenjiro and Emil are from Hufflepuff, we have two Gryffindors…I forget their names, and Otabek is Ravenclaw." He rambled and then stopped himself. _Yuuri get it together! You’re embarrassing yourself!_ He chided, and instead began to think about how he would probably faint if he was chosen for the tournament, and he now began to feel nervous as the castle slowly came into view. What if Viktor was chosen...what if Viktor got hurt? The thought scared him, he had wanted his brain to go to a different train of thought…one with less anxiety. Apparently his mind had other ideas.

            As he spoke, Viktor realized that the other wizard had been fiddling with something hidden beneath his shirt for the whole morning- Viktor's interest shifted to the mysterious object and off of the words escaping the other's lips, curiosity arising inside his head. It had to be some kind of necklace... was it a good luck charm? One of those sacred, family artifacts passed down from one generation to the next? Some special object related to the Japanese culture? Yuuri had only begun messing with whatever it was that morning (or as far as Viktor knew; considering he wasn't the most attentive or aware person at times), and it made Viktor want to ask. However, he soon turned his attention back to their conversation, deeming it probably as some invasion of "privacy." He'd make inquiries another time.

            "Hmm, I suppose Otabek would make a great representative for Hogwarts," Viktor said cheerily, having only caught the beginning of his rant and not the tail end explanation of how Hogwarts chose their team for competing season. Tilting his head upwards to look at the cloudless grey sky blanketing over them, Viktor began to wonder about the tournament too. Who _would_ be chosen? And who did he think was worthy to represent Durmstrang? Part of him wanted to do it himself, but he told himself that he probably wouldn’t be a very good fit.

            "But, in the end," Viktor narrowed his eyes slightly, a challenging gleam in his pupils. "The fire spits out the most random and unexpected names- so it's still anybody's game." Viktor concluded. Yuuri nodded in agreement…he was right. Despite anyone’s guess it was up to the Goblet of Fire in the end, it really was anybody’s game. And that didn’t do much to calm his nerves. But perhaps it would be alright, this was the first time his name was in the Goblet, it was impossible to be chosen! What were the odds?

            Viktor on the other hand thought the random drawing was thrilling. Anybody could be chosen! Anybody could be a champion! Already, images of himself representing his school and bringing home the Triwizard Cup began flitting through his mind. Him defeating the dragon valiantly, courageous, no fear! Yuuri swooning and giving him a little peck on the lips for good luck…Yuuri bandaging his wounds and scolding him gently for getting hurt before curling up beside him….Yuuri helping him practice and dancing for him to encourage him…Yuuri- Viktor shook his head. Why had his thoughts gone there? He glanced over at the boy, and then he understood. His beauty to him was ethereal. His skin glowed in the afternoon light, his hair reflecting the sunlight and making it seem more like a dark bourbon rather than ebony. His hand was still messing with whatever it was under his shirt, his lips were pursed in thought, eyes distant but still cautious of his surroundings.

            He reminded him of a stag, not a doe. Beautiful, wary and strong. Viktor was beginning to realize that in the past four days he had felt more alive than he ever had in the years he had spent at Durmstrang. What was it about Yuuri that made him so likeable? Was it fate that he get knocked off his broomstick? Was this the universe trying to tell him the other would sweep him off his feet? He was intrigued by the boy…the boy who was friends with mermaids and could produce light from his body as he danced, who could _heal_ with his dances and project magic from his bare hands. Viktor saw Yuuri as a book, one with a lock. He wanted so badly to open it up and read the stories inside, to see what made the book so special. The silver stranded captain noticed they were coming upon Hogwarts and sighed inwardly, he’d have to part from the other again for now, there would be time for thinking later.

            Once they arrived back at the castle, there was still twenty minutes to go until the name drawing. However, they found that the Great Hall was already busy and bustling with teachers and students alike- the people moving about like enchanting shoals of fish, all filled to the brim with anticipation and anxiety to see who'd be chosen next. "Let's go back to our tables, then," Viktor said, scanning the crowded room, and turning to face Yuuri with a look of confidence, mixed with an almost unintelligible dash of nervousness. Yuuri could almost see the dahs of nervousness in Viktor’s eyes…but surely he was dreaming. Viktor had no reason to be nervous, if he was chosen he would sweep the competition, and if he wasn’t he’d still be one of the most talented wizards in the Dark Arts. Viktor shot him a grin, tucking some of his bangs behind his ear. "Good luck to you, _Yuuuri~_ " He sung, and the way his name rolled off his lips made the Slytherin’s insides melt.

 


	5. There's a First for Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment the students have been waiting for, the drawing for the Tri-Wizard tournament! Too bad Yuuri isn't as psyched for it as everyone else...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!! This is a long chapter! And I applaud you for reading it and supporting h2hoe's and I's work! Thank you so much! I have a few notes on this chapter for you as the readers to keep in mind:   
> \- Yuuri and Viktor are teenagers! Therefore they may act a bit out of character because they are not mature adults as we see them in the show!   
> \- Yuuri is an unreliable narrator! We know he's not pathetic, but he often makes himself not the center of attention   
> \- Yuuri's anxiety seems extreme, he is 16 and in a place where mental health support is not so readily available, he is trying his best! Obviously as he grows up he gets a better handle on his anxiety and such, but as for now it is a huge obstacle for him to overcome! It also comes from personal experience, at 16 my anxiety was paralyzing, so a lot of impulsive decisions are based off of personal experiences.   
> \- And finally, I apologize if it gets tiring jumping from place to place! There are a lot of times in this chapter where we go from Yuuri by the lake, to Viktor in the school, back to Yuuri, back to Viktor. But it will make sense as they get closer and closer to being with each other in the same place!
> 
> Thank you again! And I can't wait to see you all next chapter!

            Yuuri kept his eyes forward as he walked back to his seat, the once Great Hall had once intimidated Yuuri, in fact he had been intimidated by the sheer size of Hogwarts for a while when he first joined the ranks of the academy. But now it just looked like another room to him, another home. A home full of strangers he didn’t mingle with often sure, but a home no less. The bustling and noise of everyone clamoring about the drawing was beginning to get to his head, making it pound a bit. The room really needed better acoustics, that and Yuuri was anxious still about the whole drawing. What if Phichit got picked? He couldn’t stand to lose his best friend if the worst happened!

            _"Good luck to you too, Viktor!"_ He had said, waving as he walked over to find Phichit. Yuuri could have swore that he saw a tinge of pink on Viktor’s cheeks as he smiled at him. But perhaps it was lighting in the room. As usual, Phichit had saved him a seat, and when Yuuri sait down he turned to see a smirk.

            "What??" Yuuri asked.

            "Sooo....why were you and Viktor coming into the Hall alooone~?" Phichit pried, making the other pout.

            "N-No reason! We just went for a walk was all." Phichit merely grinned, not easing Yuuri’s nerves one bit.

            "So you guys were making out in the forest, got it~"

            "PHICHIT NO!" Yuuri squeaked, earning some looks from those around them. He mumbled an apology and sent a half-hearted glare at his friend.

             "I-I was not making out with Viktor Nikiforov!" He protested.

            "Laaame. You missed an opportunity~" The Thai boy hummed.

            "....But we did kiss. A peck really...nothing special, it was accident! I fell into him!" Phichit's eyes widened, the sparkles behind them reminding Yuuri of those cute shows his friend loved to watch back at home.

             "Oh my gooodddd, Yuuri you're so bold!" He laughed, obviously teasing him.

            "I am not!"

            "Yuuri you had your first kiss with the Durmstrang Captain you've been crushing on since first year!" Phichit pointed out. Yuuri hid his face in his hands and mumbled out some expletives in Japanese, peeking out between his fingers.

            "We're friends, Phichit!"

            "For now~" Phichit winked.

            Viktor found a seat next to a few fellow classmates and a surprisingly content-looking Yuri, Viktor quickly plopped down beside the younger boy, looking over his shoulder to peek at what could possibly be making Yuri Plisetsky crack a smile.

            "Hn... what's up, Yuri-ooo?" Viktor said, making Yuri straighten up in his seat and turn around to flash the other wizard a menacing glare, emerald eyes hard-rimmed and fixed, but concealing the tiniest bit of excitement beneath.

            "Wh-what the hell, Viktor?!" He stuttered angrily, immediately stuffing the cell phone he'd been grinning at back into the pocket of his uniform and twisting his head to face the opposite direction. However, fortunately for Viktor, his junior's actions had been a little delayed.

            "For such a feeble and delicate looking boy, you really need to work on your manners," Viktor teased, leaning back into his own space and staring at the other innocently.

            "Ah, also- double texting in itself is already out-of-bounds. But triple texting? A crime!" This only led Yuri to flush even more, causing him to fall victim to yet another one of Viktor's jokes. He lifted his head, a childish scowl plastered across his face. It'd always intended to convey a look of bubbling hatred but to Viktor, the boy just looked like a pouting toddler.

            "Tch. Like you don't text me single words at a time, instead of the whole damn sentence at once," Yuri spat, resting his cheek against the palm of his hand in an _"I'm-so-rebellious-and-punk_ " sort of way.

            "But _I’m_ not trying to get you to fall in love with me, Yurio," Viktor retorted, liking the "ring" to this new nickname and enjoying the dispute.

            "The heck is that supposed to mean?! Otabek's the one who-" the blonde began, before realizing he'd said too much and forced himself to shut up.

            Back at the Hogwarts side of the room, Yuuri fidgeted in his seat among his fellow Slytherins. He looked around at the other houses, squished together to accommodate for the increase of students. The Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors seemed to have mashed together, while Ravenclaw and Slytherin were allying themselves silently next to each other. He caught sight of Otabek in the middle of the Ravenclaws, the light of his phone reflecting off of his robes as he held it under the table, and for the first time Yuuri caught a hint of a smile on the boy’s face. Who was he texting? He sighed and turned Phichit again, biting his lip a little.

            "Phichit I'm nervous...I hope whoever is picked today ends up okay..." He whispered.

            "I'm sure it'll be fine...~" Phichit said, throwing an arm around Yuuri's shoulders as a hush came over the Hall. He glanced over and saw the Goblet of Fire being brought in by the Head Mistress, it was set on the table in the middle of all the schools Head Masters and Mistresses. A second later, Viktor and Yuri realized that the goblet of fire had already been brought out in all it's glory, blazing fierce blue, purple, and crimson hues. Their attentions shifted away from their conversation and went straight to the fire, waiting with anticipation to see whose name would be drawn first. Yuuri watched as the Head Mistress began speaking, the whole hall falling silent.

            "Welcome, everyone!" She announced.

            "Today is the beginning of our yearly Tri-Wizard tournament! The event all of you have been preparing for, but only three will be participating in. These three schools; Hogwarts, Beauxbaton, and Durmstrang, have been participating in these tournaments for centuries! They are tests of strength, intelligence, magical ability, strategy, and teamwork. But only one will arise with the Tri-Wizard Cup." The flames rose higher behind her, and out of the smoke fell a small piece of paper, which the Head Mistress caught without looking.

            "Since it is being held at Hogwarts, as we have the largest terrain, I will be reading the first name! The Head Master of Durmstrang will read the next, and Beauxbaton last." Yuuri grabbed Phichit's hand, a nervous habit. He don't know why he felt this nervous, he had never had a problem with the tournament before. But Phichit didn't seem to care, and squeezed his hand in a comforting manner as they looked onward.

            "From Beauxbaton-" She started, and all eyes flitted to the third table across the room, the school used to be all girls, but was now co-ed. Though it still had a majority of female students.

            "Mila Babicheva, please come forward and stand before the schools." She announced. There was squealing and some worried whispers before a tall and slim red-head stood up, smiling as she strode past her classmates and accepted her role as the representative of Beauxbaton. She then stood to the right of the Head Mistress, who stepped aside to be replaced by the Head Master of Durmstrang, a strong and strict wizard by the name of Yakov Feltsman.

            Viktor blinked twice as he watched the red-head strut past him, a confident bounce in her step. It was a bit surprising— Mila, really? But, she would represent Beauxbaton well; Mila had always been an independent person, never relying too much on others and knowing her limits, while still striving to achieve more. The Triwizard Tournament would be a nice event for her to take part of— considering her daredevil personality, and the way she never seemed to get fazed. Viktor would definitely cheer her on. As Feltsman took the headmistress's position, the fire immediately began spattering out loud, crackling noises— indicating that it would be spitting out another name any moment. And sure enough, right as the headmaster stepped up, a piece of paper came flying out of the now blue-gold flames, heading straight for the man's hand. He squinted a bit, grunting before looking back up. Yuuri watched Feltsman take the stand, catching the paper with ease.

            "Hey...you think Viktor will be gruff like that when he's old? Bald too?" Phichit teased, hoping to get Yuuri to laugh. Yuuri gave a little chuckle and shook his head.

            "Not sure...but I think Yuri certainly has a similar attitude." He hummed, remembering their little exchange. Phichit chuckled before a booming voice echoed.

            “Yuuri Katsuki, from Hogwarts!” Yakov called out, his voice rough and scratchy. Viktor immediately jerked his head up, looking past the endless rows of heads to find the Slytherin table, wondering if he'd heard correctly— God, no, no... _Yuuri Katsuki!?_ As in, the Yuuri that he'd _specifically_ prayed for, of all people, to not get chosen? Yuuri felt himself freeze. Him!? Why him!? He glanced at Phichit, eyes wide and face pale, but Phichit was grinning and giving him a thumbs up despite how terrified his friend looked as well. He glanced around, people were whispering. Oh god they didn't want him to represent their school, why would they? He wasn't special, he just some average student. He hadn't even summoned his patronus yet and he was a sixth year! How could he ever-

            "YUURI KATSUKI FROM HOGWARTS!" Feltsman boomed again, louder. He could feel ice cold water filling his stomach and turning him to ice. Yuuri staggered forward and made his way down the row, not hearing anything but his heart racing in his ears as he felt every pair of eyes in the room on him. He wondered how many were disappointed, how many were angry, how many just didn't care. Why wasn't it Otabek? Otabek was so much cooler than him and much more qualified! Though it was a bit of a shock, Viktor clapped nevertheless, a tense smile on his face.

            "Davai, Yuuri!" He cheered over the noticeably frustrated and unsatisfied remarks and comments being spat out by the Hogwarts students (who were they, to disrespect their fellow classmate like that?)— which earned him several bewildered stares from students of all three schools. Well, Mila getting chosen was already something— now Yuuri, too? It would be an interesting competition, Viktor thought, eyes flickering between the two completely different people standing up on the podium. Mila looked extremely well-managed and always held a regal air of confidence around her— but not to the point of being cocky, like many others. She was clever, sly. But so was Yuuri. Though his superficial appearance simply made him come off as a nervous wreck— Viktor knew that there was so much more. He'd seen Yuuri during the Quidditch match, and his wizarding ability shouldn't be something to take lightly.

            Yuuri made his way up the two steps and looked around as to where to go, his body on auto pilot, he couldn’t think at all it was just fuzz.

            "By Mila, Yuuri~" He felt the gentle hand of the Head Mistress guiding him and he stood, paralyzed next to Mila Babicheva. Yuuri couldn't speak, so when asked if he accepted (like he had a choice, the goblet had CHOSEN him), he merely nodded in determination.

            "I-I'll try my best." Yuuri whispered, though he knew only the teachers heard. Yuuri kept his eyes straight ahead, at the clock above the exit, the ornate golden and obsidian clock. Lilia, the Head Mistress of Beauxbaton stood, making her way to the Goblet, waiting patiently for it to spit out the third name. But it didn't come at first....

            "If I recall, it is a tournament, not a duel." She sighed, giving the Goblet a 'look'. She had been around for a while, and she held out her hand when the flames erupted and spit out a name, looking at the paper with a bored expression.

            "Viktor Nikiforov of Durmstrang!" Lilia announced, the piece of paper dissolving. Yuuri's eyes widened.

            "Viktor..." He breathed, terrified for the other. Forget him, he was replaceable, but _Viktor_? What was the Goblet playing at? He hoped he made it out okay...no injuries, alive. He wouldn't know how to feel if he came out with the other's blood on his hands.

Viktor didn't have time to give Yuuri’s safety any more thought, as _his own_ name was called out at that moment, and all unwavering gaze turned to land on him. _Oh_ , he thought, looking quickly at Yuri's shocked expression before standing up and making his way to the front. The competition would definitely be an interesting one this year... a very problematic one too, honestly, considering both of his competitors were individuals that he considered friends. And oh god— he'd never want to hurt Mila, let alone _Yuuri_. Forcing himself to muster up his typical, charismatic smile, Viktor took his place beside Yuuri, exchanging quick, sympathetic glances with the other, though his blood was boiling at the mere thought of having to compete against the other.

            Yuuri watched Viktor come and stand beside him, and he very much wanted to reach for his hand and hold it tightly to ground himself. But he couldn't. Instead he gave a little nod back, trying to slow his heart-rate as he stared up ahead. All eyes were on them, and he didn't have to look too hard at his own school to feel the disappointment coming off them in waves. The Head Mistress of Hogwarts, an old woman by the name of Minerva (who had survived the Battle of Hogwarts and has run the school since), came to call attention.

            "These are your Tri-Wizard Tournament champions!" She announced with a smile.

            "Let's give them a hand!" The room erupted in applause, and Yuuri felt himself blush. He could hear Phichit yelling a cheer in Thai for him, and he smiled a little as he heard it. A loud call of- "Davai, Viktor!!!" shouted from the Durmstrang table for Viktor, led by Yuri despite how irritated he looked. And another cheer from Beauxbaton followed, making Mila blush as it was led by a girl he had seen before...Sara? He couldn't remember her name. Minerva raised her hand, and silence fell over the room. Lilia then stepped forward, clearing her throat.

            "This year the challenges will be a little different." She started, glaring when confused mutters started, the mutters soon silenced.

            "This year, we want to unite our schools. This was a hard decision, as it was to hold this tournament every year. Changing tradition can have negative effects, but we want to try and learn to work together as the world faces modern trials. In this time, you all need each other more than you know. But there will still be only one winner. There will be a points system, points will be awarded to schools based on: Magical ability, cooperation, creativity, bravery, intelligence, and strength. Whoever has the highest points when we are finished, wins. The challenges will encourage our competitors to work together to survive and to overcome the obstacles planted for them. All three challenges are dangerous, and last up to three days at most. This is no easy task nor is it a simple team-building game. This is still a tournament, and injuries are common, the worst outcome could still become reality if these three wizards are not careful." She turned and gave the floor to Yakov, who would announce the first challenge coming up. The headmaster shuffled forward, adjusting his tie before speaking.

            "Well, the rules are relatively different, but the first task will still remain the same-" Yakov coughed and cleared his throat, never being one to sugarcoat or sound overly-positive-

            "DRAGONS. Plain and simple! Each champion is assigned a different and very powerful beast- yes, so fierce that death is likely, yes. The goal is to retrieve the golden egg being guarded by these dragons." At the eager, loud whispers of the crowd, Yakov coughed, irritated, and beckoned them to quite down.

            "Now- the rules are simple. You can use your wand and whatever hexes or spells you want in order to get that egg- nothing else. HOWEVER!" He said, raising his voice to attract the attention of those who had begun speaking over him again and were gossiping about the first challenge.

            "Independency is and will not be an option in the tournament, this time around- led to too much trouble in the past; the dragons this year are exotic creatures- ones you young folk will have never seen before. And no amount of preparation is going to guarantee you success," Yakov drawled, shooting the three, newly picked competitors a challenging look.

            "That's why all three individuals will be working together against each of the three dragons- while one competes to steal the golden egg of his or her dragon, he or she must _use_ the other two in some way- for assistance, as bait- so it is no longer a single man's task." At the astounded and stunned gasps and mutters of the crowd, Feltsman let out a wary sigh and stepped back, seemingly relieved to be done talking. Having heard all of this, Viktor felt even more uneasy and his intestines felt like they'd been twisted up- sure, he had been confident and hyped for this competition at one point- but now? Now, it was even worse that he had to use his two friends and fellow competitors as _bait_. He was skilled; but not perfect- there was always room for mess ups, and Viktor definitely didn't want to be responsible for the death of somebody during this competition.

            Yuuri could feel his insides freezing up with each word Feltsman boomed, dragons...death...the golden egg...he couldn't do it. He wasn't skilled in magic, performing hexes was something he wasn’t very proficient at, his only skill was defense and that was because he had often been subject to bullying, and now he had to somehow fight against a dragon with his non-existent talent? Yuuri was sure he was going to die. He wouldn't make it past the first challenge. And his anxiety only got worse as he heard that he had to use Viktor and Mila as bait. How could put them in danger for _his_ challenge? How could risk _their_ lives? Wasn't there some way to pull out, to switch? Could he bribe them with something? Otabek clearly deserved this more, he was much more talented than he was and was at the top of his class of fifth years with a proficiency in conjuring. Minerva stepped forward again, calling for silence.

            "Now that we've explained the first challenge, the change in rules, and we have chosen our three competitors, the drawing is at an end. The first challenge will begin in three weeks, before the annual Yule ball. Ample amount of time for preparation I believe~" She smiled, looking at the three of them.

            "You are all dismissed! Classes are cancelled and will begin again tomorrow, I doubt anybody will be able to pay attention with the surprising outcomes of this, and I’m sure you all want to congratulate and help your friends prepare. Catch up on studies and buzz about with excitement." Minerva nodded and stepped back. The moment Minerva dismissed the students, Viktor saw Yuuri break into a run for the door, disappearing out of sight.

            "Yuuri..." He mumbled under his breath, concern arising in his chest for the panic-ridden boy. He knew that Yuuri was constantly struggling with anxiety, but he hadn't expected the attacks to be this bad, and this sudden.. For a second, Viktor stood there paralyzed, for once unsure of exactly what to do. He knew that in times like these, many just wanted space and some alone time. But on the other hand, some needed all the support and encouragement they could get- and Viktor definitely wanted to go after Yuuri and talk to him, but having only known Yuuri for a few days, Viktor really wasn't quite sure if that'd be the right choice.

            Yuuri had fallen into a full sprint and blindly ran down the Great Hall, bursting out the exit and immediately heading towards the large doors that led out of Hogwarts. He needed to get out, he needed to breathe, he needed to do something he just couldn't do _this_. He ran around the back of the school, heading up and around to the bottom entrance of the abandoned security tower, unlocking it with a shaky spell before slipping in and climbing the stairs. He collapsed a few times, legs shaking and eyes blurry with tears. By the time he had made it to the top he was crying softly, and he curled up in the shade of the tower behind him, watching the sun rise higher and the crisp air cool the tears on his face. He couldn't do this. He wasn't strong enough, why did the Goblet choose him? Surely it was a joke. Quiet sobs racked his form, and he buried his head in his knees. He didn’t have time to focus on a life or death tournament the wizarding world put on every year as a test of strength, he was trying to pass his classes and prove he was supposed to be there, he was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life, what the point of life even was!

~.~.~

            Back in the Great Hall, two individuals were showing much more concern for the runaway champion than everyone else. Everyone else was congratulating the two remaining champions at the front of Great Hall. Viktor had the fakest smile he had ever had on his face as he thanked them for their continued support, he cracked a few jokes with Mila, but he kept looking over the heads as he tried to find an escape so he could try to maybe find Yuuri and help him calm down, assure him it would be alright, that he wouldn’t let anything happen to him or Mila. But before he could he heard a commotion and turned his head.

            "Yuuri!" Phichit yelled after seeing him run off, panic written on his face. He had never seen the other run away so quickly. He frowned as some of his classmates laughed and made some snarky remarks, something along the lines of- 'I think that's a preview of what we'll see when Yuuri fights the dragon', and 'Hope his name was a mistake, what an embarrassment'. Phichit fumed and glared at all of them.

            "You all should be supporting him! It's not like he wanted to have his name in there in the first place! If you want to blame anybody for Yuuri getting chosen, blame me! I put his name in because I didn't want him feeling left out again! Not like you guys care anyways!" He shouted, worried about his best friend.

            Viktor noticed Phichit (that was his name right?) defending Yuuri passionately. He had never spoken to the boy, but he knew if Yuuri trusted him then he must be a wonderful person. And the way Phichit was quick to snarl at anyone to thought ill of his friend proved just how close the two were, it stirred Viktor into action. Viktor took a step forward and began heading away from the podium, but was immediately stopped by a hand being placed on his shoulder firmly. He craned his neck to look back at the person's identity, finding it to be his own headmaster, Feltsman.

            "Where are you running off to so soon, Viktor?" His voice was coarse like fragmented rock against concrete, moving and grinding across the surface, and was intended to come off as intimidating and stern.

            "You just got selected as one of the three Triwizard champions. I'd assume you'd be partying and showing yourself off right about now." Unfazed by Feltsman's emphatic tone, Viktor simply wiped wisps of hair from his eyes, summoning up his best "goody two-shoes" expression.

            "Well, Yakov! Perhaps I am heading to start a party right now, but you're the one stopping me," He spoke slyly, eyes flitting to the door and back to the man. He took his hand off Viktor's shoulder, straightening himself up and giving the younger wizard a grunt of annoyance.

            "Don't disappear to who-knows-where again for now, seriously. Especially if you were planning on chasing- chasing _that_ student who just ran off; now's not the time for some Romeo and Juliet, Viktor. This is a competition, there's a lot to discuss." A small sigh of dissatisfaction escaped Viktor's mouth- he couldn't just let Yuuri leave and possibly do something foolish- but, hopefully, Phichit would go after Yuuri since Viktor himself couldn't.

~.~.~

            Phichit was soon to break away from the crowds, irritated and having said some rude words in defense of Yuuri. He came off as weak and shy, but Phichit knew first hand the power the other had. He just needed a teacher who could help him be confident in himself so he could bring that power out, if the Goblet had chosen him, then Phichit would help his friend in any way he could. So he set off to find him, checking all of the places Yuuri usually went when he had full blown attacks. He checked their bedroom, their bathroom, the abandoned classroom on fifth floor, and sighed.

            "He's gonna make me climb the stairs..." Phichit groaned. He would have texted Yuuri, but Yuuri usually kept his phone in his room so he didn't get in trouble. Finding his way to the abandoned security tower, Phichit found the door unlocked and began to make his way up. Yuuri meanwhile had managed to calm down some, but was still shaking. His eyes were wide and he was clammy and pale, he didn't know what to do. He wasn't fit enough for this kind of competition, his magic wasn't at that level, he was going to embarrass the whole school, he-

            "Yuuri!" He gasped and jumped, looking up to see Phichit. He felt his eyes water again, and he looked away.

            "Yuuri...Christ man..." He felt Phichit sit next to him, and when arms went around him he started to cry again.

            "I-I can't do it Phichit! I'm not good enough! I'll just make a fool of myself and disappoint everyone more! I don't belong in some honorable position like this!" He sobbed, hiding his face in his knees again. Phichit rubbed his back, hugging him tightly.

            "Forget our school...don't do it for our school...do it for you. I've already yelled at like...ten people because they were being dicks. You deserve better support..." Yuuri shrugged, feeling like the lack of support he was getting fit pretty well.

            "Yuuri I'm serious. You were chosen for a reason now please...you have a while to prepare. We have three weeks at most, plenty of time to get some defense magic and hexes down. We just need a strategy, and you heard Lilia! This year is about support, working together, you work great with others! You're a genius!" He praised, but Yuuri just shrugged again.

            "I-I guess..." He whispered.

            "Come on...let's go somewhere." Yuuri looked up.

            "P-Phichit I can't be around people right now I-I just-"

            "I never said we were going to be around people~" He grinned, and stood up.

            "Now come on, I know some cool centaurs in a forest that would love to chill out and just talk~" He grinned. Yuuri sighed and nodded, holding onto the other's sleeve as they walked.

            "Thank you, Phichit..."

~.~.~

            "— So, to sum up, you three will need to begin the training as soon as possible; make sure you're as ready as you can be for those dragons. Have an intricate plan in mind, and oh! Just some simple advice for you all: always have a backup. You never know what the dragons may do." The headmistress droned on as Viktor and Mila sat inside her study, with Mila listening intently while Viktor watched a tiny flea flying to and fro, distracted and bored. Was Yuuri all right? How was he taking the news right now? Was he still somewhere outside, moping by himself? But most importantly: did the professors not even _care_ about what had occurred? He'd just gotten chosen for the Triwizard Tournament, mentally broke down from shock, and yet here they were— in the headmistress's own study room, discussing the plans for the competition with one of the contenders _missing_. It was only a bit absurd. How did they expect Viktor to be able to pay attention like this?

            " _Petrificus Totalus_ ," Minerva suddenly said, bringing him back to his senses. She pointed her wand at the flea as it froze in mid-air, before dropping to the ground, unmoving. She then relaxed her arm, turning back to face him.

            "Mr. Nikiforov." Her voice returned to the same indifferent, authoritative underlying tone it had been. "Did you get all that?"

            "Ah, yes ma'am. I understand that..." Viktor replied, taking his eyes off of the now motionless bug on the desk, and meeting the professor's stony eyes.

            "But, may I ask why we're talking about this when the representative from your own school is missing?"

            "While I am deeply upset that Mr. Katsuki isn't here to hear this... it was his choice, after all. We can't go running after him or convince him to come listen— not when he's like that," She said, a forgery of a sympathetic smile that Viktor was too familiar with, planted across her lips.

            "If you are concerned for him for whatever reason, then please rest assure that he's fine. I recall this happens often, but he recovers quite quickly." Anger churned within Viktor as she continued speaking, in awe with her words— what did she mean, " _not when he's like that_?" Was that some cruel joke? How could somebody with so many years of experience, so many years of living and seeing this screwed up society, say something like that? He himself was egocentric and sometimes oblivious enough for a seventeen-year old to begin with, he admitted. But Yuuri not having the much-needed support of his own headmistress— Viktor could taste a bitterness like strong black coffee form on his tongue, then blinded by a five-course serving of pure resentment. However, he swallowed his retort and covered it with a smile as tooth-rotting and artificial as the professor's.

            "I suppose we're done here for today, then?" He merely said, suppressing any vile words that threatened to spill out of his mouth. Standing up swiftly and grabbing his cloak, he wandered out of the room, only bothering to wave goodbye to Mila. He'd go find the mermaids— they'd probably have a speech actually worth listening to.

~.~.~

            Phichit had managed to drag Yuuri to the forest, he knew a few centaurs in the area. That was how he and Yuuri had become friends...back in their homelands it was normal to befriend magical creatures of all kinds. But in England it seemed to be a little taboo, or just not as common, it was sad. One centaur by the name of Corvan, was the first to see them. He had come up, noticing Yuuri's panic, and immediately picked the other up, setting him on his back.

            "You should feel honored!" He grinned, a deep laugh rumbling from his chest.

            "I-I know I should...but I'm scared I'm going to hold everyone back, and end up getting myself killed in the process." Yuuri whispered.

            "Nonsense! You'll be fine! What you need is a plan. When's the first event?" Corvan asked, and Phichit grinned.

            "We have three weeks." Yuuri nodded and sighed, looking up at the cloudy sky through the golden and red leaves.

            "Dragons?" Corvan asked, he was given a nod.

            "Practice defense  magic, stealth is also very good against dragons. Focus on your studies, and practice practice practice. I remember a dragon, years before you young ones were at Hogwarts, it was put to sleep! Nobody had ever done that before~ It was incredible! I can’t remember the lass’s name…but I’m sure you’ll come up with something Yuuri! You’re creative aren’t ya? You’ll be just fine!" He encouraged. It really didn't make Yuuri feel much better, but it did help some. "

            Thanks Corvan...I'll try my best." He said again. They spent the next half-hour talking about Yuuri’s strengths and weaknesses. He was really good at magic that protected or blocked things, so he should focus on barriers and defense spells. As for hexes he’d probably want ones that didn’t physically harm the dragons as Yuuri himself was not inherently violent, so they’d look for paralyzing hexes or hexes that would distract or scramble the dragon to give him time to move. But soon Phichit had taken out his phone, as he usually did, and was taken selfies with Corvan, who was still in awe of the invention that was the internet. The conversation then derailed into Phichit explaining how Instagram worked for at least the seventh time, still just as patient as the first as he watched Corvan scroll through his photos and make comments on how muggles were catching up to them. Yuuri took that as a cue to excuse himself, as much as loved hanging around Corvan he found himself in need of better advice.

            Yuuri made his way to the lagoon, which wasn't far once he had found the correct trail, but when he got there he found he wasn't alone...and the mermaids were already out. _Viktor?_ He thought, there was no mistaking the long, platinum blonde hair and the red cape with fur trim. He saw him climb up and over the edge of the large rock, feet dangling as he leaned over and spoke intently with them, he looked serious, and the atmosphere Yuuri sensed was not fun by any means. He slowly made his way over, sitting on his knees by the edge of the rock closest to shore, hidden by reeds and recognizing the voice of Ednis echoing off the large rock. He waited patiently, he didn't want to interrupt the other. He could always talk to them once Viktor was gone.

            Summoning the mermaids had proved to be significantly more difficult without Yuuri's presence and unique magic, but once Ednis had finally poked her head out of the water's surface, Viktor's eyes lit up and he found himself indulged in a comfortable conversation with her, forgetting about everything else around him. Ednis loved helping others, and over the years she had seen more and more students become stressed in their day to day lives. If they could summon her up, she would listen. And when she saw Viktor, looking quite disheveled, she swam right over. She leaned her head on her arms, looking up at him.

            “... I'm not the best at consulting others,” Viktor confessed, leaning back on the large rock and resting his body weight against his palms, legs dangling and his hair blowing carelessly in the whistling November wind. Ednis floated slowly around the rock, nodding every so often to indicate that she was listening, sometimes humming understandingly.

            “I'm too ignorant and a little bit self-centered,” Viktor laughed lightly after a moment's silence, not giving his words a second thought.

            “But, I do want to help him… last night, when we looked into the Mirror of Erised— he cried.” He thought about it again, going over the memory which was still fresh in his mind, practically begging to be revisited like some unfinished business.

            “And I haven't known him for long, so I don't know what it is that's so powerful, that he wants to have so badly. But whatever it might be! I want to have the pleasure of saying that I helped Yuuri Katsuki achieve his wishes.” Viktor paused again, tilting his head back and looking at the grey sky above, in thought. It was nice, talking to Ednis like this and saying whatever was on his mind. He could see why Yuuri loved spending time with the mermaids so much.

            “Call it another selfish instinct of mine, to want to take credit for someone else's happiness. I'm not sure what it is, but I can't seem to get rid of this queasy, constant dissatisfied feeling.” Viktor’s chuckle had a bitter tone behind it, as if he was scolding himself.

            "You can't be that self-centered if you're willing to admit you have a little problem. It's not selfish to want what you want...what you are feeling is not a desire for credit; but an urge to care for someone, to make sure they're okay." She said, smiling softly.

            "Yuuri suffers from high functioning anxiety, mixed with a little depression...the two kind of go hand in hand. He was gracious to let me read up on it by bringing a book to me years ago, that way I could better understand it. It turns out I’ve been helping students with these issues for years…I just never knew the names of the problems. The magical world is new to all of these terms, and he is without help here. Which is why I try my hardest to guide him..." She sat up more, grabbing Viktor's hand.

            "You're worried about him...aren't you?" It worried her that whatever Yuuri had seen made him cry, she had seen him cry multiple times and every time she saw it, it broke her heart. But she never thought him weak for it, Yuuri had a big heart and he cried not for himself most of the time, but for other people. He cried when his anxiety acted up, and she knew he hated it but Yuuri had come to understand that it was alright to be emotional. He was still young, only sixteen, he would mature in time.

            "The only one who can achieve his heart’s desire is himself...if you are his support, a coach of some sort...I have no doubt he will reach his goal. What was said this morning was true you know...Yuuri has admired your skills for years. But he never thought he'd be good enough to catch your eye, so he resigned himself to cheering from the crowd, trying to stay invisible. He really is a talented boy, just as much as you if I'm being honest...if you really want to help him and feel better about yourself: you will draw out the confidence he needs to control his powers. Can I trust you to do that? To take care of him?" Ednis asked, her tone sweet but serious. She squeezed his hand, allowing him all the time he needed to make an answer.

            Viktor gazed at the gentle ripples of the water as Ednis glided across gracefully, admiring her tranquility and wisdom years beyond her seemingly young appearance. Listening to her speak in her calm voice and eloquent speech relaxed him immediately. He exchanged a soft, knowing glance with the mermaid as she held his hand, gripping onto it firmly but with so much genuine care and affection at the same time. It reminded Viktor of a love he'd been missing for a while now; a kind of soothing, motherly love, like a melodious lullaby easing him to sleep. He'd never been too fond of talking about his home life— the lack of support and change in his family's attitude when he didn't keep climbing higher on the Quidditch hierarchy; when he didn't want to reach the very top, and was too afraid for whatever was to come next. He'd been a bit younger then, probably not more than fifteen, and had wanted to do his family name proud but simultaneously, was much too naive and foolish to reach his parents' ever-growing expectations. Thus, Viktor had never liked talking about it much, but with Ednis here, he felt different. Like he wanted to— _almost_ wanted to share everything. But, that wasn't the point right now. Yuuri was the subject of their discussion, and of course Viktor would be willing to help Yuuri as best he could. It only felt right.

            “Yeah... yeah, absolutely,” Viktor said, nodding his head with just enough confidence.

            “Though, the whole Triwizard Tournament makes things a little more difficult than as is,” He continued, mind drifting back to the competition.

            “I don't want to hurt him, or anyone, but I suppose this could be an opportunity; hmm... a chance to let Yuuri discover his true potential, and realize the greatness he really has.” As he spoke, he heard a soft shuffling noise— the quiet rustling of tree branches, subtle crunch of the dying leaves splattered across the ground, possibly even a vague sniffle or two— was somebody here? Ednis also noticed the noise, but she already knew who it could be. Who else wandered this far off of Hogwarts campus? But she didn't pay it any mind, she smiled at Viktor's words and nodded.

            "So you and Yuuri are both competing then? If that's not a sign I don't know what is." She chuckled. "I think that's a good idea. This could be his chance to discover parts of himself he's been too afraid to explore. And I think you would be a wonderful friend to help him through it. Who knows...you might discover something about yourself." She smiled and pulled herself up, sitting next to him.

            "Viktor..." Ednis said softly. "Something is weighing on you still...I'm not here just for Yuuri. I've been here for all kinds of students throughout the years. I'm here to offer guidance to you as well....tell me, what plagues you?" She asked, looking up at him. "I might not have all the answers, but I can offer you ears to listen and a heart to care." Ednis was silent, letting him gather his thoughts and take his time, and if he ended up saying nothing, then so be it. She offered help, but knew it could be hard to take it. Yuuri had been a perfect example of that, the first few times had just been him crying in the same spot Viktor was now, listening to Ednis and Myrla sing softly until he calmed. But now he came and spoke with them weekly, helping them out when he could and taking their guidance in return. She saw Yuuri as a son to her, being the student to visit the most in all her years in the lake. When Viktor spoke, she listened, laying a damp hand on his shoulder and being careful to not sully his uniform.

            "Life and love..." She started gently, giving a smile. "You are young, and you are right. There will be plenty of opportunities. But you are at your final year, maybe instead of focusing on what others expect of you...you should focus on what life and love mean to you. Chase those, fulfill those needs, and you will find yourself in a place of clarity. You have a long life ahead of you, plenty of time to find a career of your choice, and plenty of time to take care of you. But don't put it off...you'll regret it otherwise. It's hard, and you won't find all of the answers immediately...but you won't regret it if you start now." She said wisely, rubbing his shoulder now.

            "Viktor, you are a strong and intelligent man, don't be afraid to take control of your own life. Others can only hold you back for so long, but in the end you pull the reigns, not your fans or your family, not even your friends. Take those reigns and go explore." She encouraged, and slid back into the water so she didn't dry. "And if you ever need to talk...I am here for you, you know where to find me." She purred.

            Absorbing in Ednis's words, Viktor felt something shift inside him, like the weight in his chest grew a tiny bit lighter; his mindset already slightly tweaked from the mermaid's sagacious, sensible advice. Viktor watched as she slipped back under, lost in the ripples of the water and rhythmic percussion of small waves on the shore. His eyes steadied on the horizon as the rather dull, unsaturated sky transitioned to late afternoon, face aglow with the faint golden rays of the sun that longed to peak out beyond the overpowering clouds. The brief moment of pure peace was a blessing; the tension of earlier had vanished, and he closed his eyes and let his limbs loosen. His lips bore the semblance of a smile, just enough to show that he'd appreciated Ednis's advice, and would definitely put it to good use whenever he got the chance.

            "Yes, then... thanks, Ednis!" Viktor said contentedly once he'd been pulled out of his blissful daze, standing up to head back. That'd probably been enough discussion for a day; it'd be wise to go look for Yuuri now, see how he was holding up. Ednis could tell her words affected him, and she was happy that she could help Viktor.

            "And also... don't worry about Yuuri, I've got it." He staggered across the labyrinth of rocks to reach flat ground again, dusting off his cape. He made a depressing attempt at flattening several wild strands of hair that'd strayed from his ponytail- he should really consider getting rid of the bothersome long hair soon- before resuming the path back to the school.

            "Take care, Viktor! Tell Yuuri I'd like to see him before the first challenge~" She called, and as Viktor headed off she slunk back into the lagoon.

~.~.~

            Yuuri meanwhile had heard bits and pieces of the beginning of the conversation, but nothing that could help him string together what was going on. Viktor thought himself to be selfish...self-centered? And had he heard his name? He blushed lightly and got up, going to sit by the shore instead on the opposite side of the lagoon where he wouldn’t be seen, the water lapped as his hands, cold and sharp. He could see across the lagoon, Hogwarts a tower to his right, its shadow just reaching the lagoon but not blocking the view. It seemed the world stretched for miles, as if cities didn’t exist…fields and green hills slowly turning yellow as fall set in stretched before him. Yuuri began to wonder again, what was Viktor telling Ednis about? Was he explaining how he ran from the Great Hall, embarrassing himself in front of not just his own school, but two other schools as well? He felt his figure droop, the professors were probably so disappointed in him. Minerva especially, she had always been confused as to why he was the way he is when he had proven his talent and worth to attend the prestigious Hogwarts, and Yuuri could never give her a satisfactory answer.

            And now he had fight for the school, show the strength and wit of Hogwarts. _What a joke_....he thought. He wiped his eyes again and gave an irritated huff, laying his head on his knee.

            "Seriously...you've already made a fool of yourself...no use crying over it. You can't change it...you know how they all feel about you, doesn't matter...it doesn't matter. Just focus on getting through this." Yuuri kept thinking it didn't matter, that if he though it enough he wouldn't be bothered by everyone's opinions of him anymore. It never worked. He felt stray trickles of tears flowing down his cheeks, each time he'd wipe them away. He'd sniffle every now and then, the cold not making this any better. Yuuri couldn't be at Hogwarts right now though, he needed the quiet. He needed this space. He breathed deeply and brought out his wand, lazily drawing kanji with light off the end of it. The little characters would land in the lagoon, sailing out a few feet before dispersing. He could make them go farther, but he didn't want to. He drew words; peace, calm, help, and guidance. It was something his mother had suggested when he was home for Christmas one year, if he made physical representations of what he wanted to feel, maybe it’d help him calm down. It had soon become addicting, and when he had really bad anxiety attacks, like the one he was currently in the throws of, it helped to be reminded of what he needed.

            After taking not more than a couple steps, Viktor spotted Yuuri nearby, hunched over and perched on a rock. He felt relief fill his system, washing over him like a warm bath. At least Yuuri hadn't done anything crazy or dangerous.

            He felt a little calmer now, his tears had dried but his eyes were still red and puffy, and a little itchy. He was in a daze, not feeling anything but feeling everything at the same time. A plan Corvan had said...but all his professors had deemed him a lost cause. They didn't see him strong enough, surely that meant he wasn't. Rustling brought him back to reality some and he lifted his head above the grass, seeing Viktor walking towards him, probably to head back towards school. He was messing with his hair, a sight that was pretty cute in Yuuri's opinion. He caught his eye and gave a weak smile, turning back to look out at the lagoon once more as he made little light swirls in the water with his wand.

            Viktor walked over to the said rock cautiously, determined not to ruin the peaceful and serene moment. When he came close enough, he stopped and inspected Yuuri's face, which turned out as he'd expected- still downcast, heavy droplets decorating his lashes, and wide, luminous eyes brimming with tears that'd never gotten the chance to spill. Viktor sucked in a small breath, sitting down on a significantly smaller rock beside the larger one. He tilted his head upwards, eyeing the other boy with mild concern and another sentiment he couldn't name. Yuuri let him come near, already feeling quite embarrassed for having run off. Perhaps Viktor would scold him for acting so irrationally, he certainly thought he deserved it. But he felt grateful that he could think a bit more clearly, the other seemed more concerned that anything.

            "Hey," He said softly, placing a finger over his mouth and considering what'd be safe for him to say at the moment. He decided he definitely shouldn't talk about the events of the past hour, but it wouldn't be wise to completely avoid the topic either. He'd have to tell Yuuri what the headmistress had explained to him and Mila- just, excluding the argument that Viktor had almost begun.

            "Ah, the headmistress said that we should start training as soon as we can. Possibly even after the match tomorrow," Viktor continued, just as he was reminded again of the Quidditch game the next morning and trying his best not to grimace.

            "But, that's up to you! We should train together though, Yuuri." Viktor spoke, and Yuuri turned his gaze towards him, eyes widening a fraction. He had almost forgotten the Quidditch match tomorrow morning, he'd need to work out tonight and practice on his broom. But he could only focus on one thing at a time, so he addressed the headmistress first.

            "I agree." Yuuri started, fixing the glasses on his face. "That's what Phichit and some centaurs were telling me...plan and practice." Yuuri murmured, giving a little smile.

            "I would love to train with you...although I apologize in advance for my lack of skill in...well, almost every magical area." He chuckled, looking back out at the lagoon again. Dinner would be soon, but he honestly didn't feel hungry.

            "...Viktor, would you want to practice with me soon? On our brooms? I forgot there was a match tomorrow...I should have been practicing today and getting warmed up..." He admitted, blushing lightly.

            "I'm just...I'm a hot mess, aren't I?" The raven haired boy turned to look at him, blinking some tears away that threatened to fall. He had cried enough, he didn't want to cry anymore.

            "They all thought I was pretty pathetic, huh? Running away like that...some representative of Hogwarts I'll turn out to be. I can't imagine how frustrated Headmistress Minerva probably is...I wonder if they're trying to figure out a way to switch me out with someone else." Yuuri felt bad ranting, he always did. He never saw his feelings as something that deserved attention, he always deemed himself overreacting to everything. Viktor stared up at Yuuri patiently, listening to him vent. His voice was shaky, signs of the earlier breakdown still lingering, and he'd pause, drawing out long silences every so often. But at least he was sharing now, which was better than simply running away from his worries and problems, something Viktor himself probably ought to consider doing.

            "Sorry, I...ignore that. Want to grab some dinner?" Yuuri stood up, pulling his robe a bit tighter around himself.

            "It's a bad habit, ranting. I should learn to control that." Yuuri didn't mind the silence at first, maybe Viktor would actually drop it like he asked. As Yuuri stood up to go back to Hogwarts, Viktor followed, finally feeling a little less burdened- glad that Yuuri had truthfully, honestly, gotten some things off his chest. He looked to the lagoon one last time, its surface glistening and mirroring the dazzling assemblage of the incoming evening and with it the glittering stars- almost as if reflecting a galaxy his naked eyes could not yet see in the sky itself. The faint but chilly wind brushed against the water’s exterior, the ripples ruffled the stillness of the surface, and shattered the reflection of the harbor. It was all so ethereal, yet so natural that Viktor questioned whether this was really real. The tranquil aura even spread as far as the forest, which no longer looked intimidating; but rather stunning as the late afternoon light kissed the dull colors into vibrant being. Times like these could be perfect for romantic candlelit dinners, or first kisses. Or, not necessarily even _first_ kisses... He turned back to Yuuri, giving the other a contented nod and beginning to move along. The wind blew about them softly, ruffling his hair and keeping it out of his face. As he walked back he could feel the other walking beside him, comforting, his presence enough. It was nice to have someone listen, and although Yuuri thought he had sounded stupid venting, he was glad he wasn't being judged for it. The sky was already dark over Hogwarts, the setting sun behind them. The castle loomed over the two champions, casting a large shadow over the land and over Viktor and Yuuri. In that moment, Yuuri could feel the intimidation again. The intimidation he had first felt walking into Hogwarts when he was eleven years old, it seemed so big and foreign now. And he had to represent it, show the other schools the famous wit of Hogwarts and their magical prowess. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, had Harry Potter felt like this? Surely he wouldn't have broken down and fled like he had.

            "You know, Yuuri..." Viktor said, a flirty lilt in his voice. His voice brought Yuuri out of his thoughts once more, he glanced up at him.

            "-there really isn't anyone who isn't a mess around here. But a _hot_ mess- that, you are," Viktor's voice held a flirtatious tone, his eyes mischievous. Yuuri immediately blushed, had Viktor just called him hot? How did he respond to that!? Though he didn't have much time to come up with a response because Viktor was speaking again, making Yuuri stop his walking so he could really listen.    

            "I've only known you for a short while, but I'm already convinced that you're anything but pathetic. Maybe a little scared, a little insecure? But not pathetic," Viktor went on, voice firm and assuring. Yuuri agreed that he was definitely scared and incredibly insecure, he couldn't argue on those. Viktor's voice was passionate, it had fire behind it, and it touched Yuuri that the words were for him.

            "And nobody has to think that... that's why you have to show them otherwise. Don't let them steal your spotlight, when you're actually very capable. So after dinner, we can go practice for the match- and prove them wrong."

            "You really think that...?" Yuuri asked softly, receiving a firm nod in return. Yuuri swallowed and played with his robe some, tips of his ears red.

            "I-I...thank you...thank you, Viktor. I don't think you know how much that means to me...to have someone as strong as you believe I’m capable." With a small hitch in his breath he pushed forward, wrapping his arms around the other tightly. At the sudden embrace, Viktor was taken by a little surprise, but he relaxed into it nonetheless. Yuuri was a good several centimeters shorter than him and smaller in stature overall, yet his clutch was unwavering and warm; the dimness and uncanny atmosphere of the forest surrounding them seemed to melt away a bit, replaced by faint but steady heartbeats and pure bliss.  

            "You're capable too...thank you for how hard you've worked." Yuuri realized in that moment that he really wanted to kiss Viktor, to physically show him how grateful he was. Or maybe it was because Viktor looked so peaceful right now, his eyes gazing down at him like that...he leaned a little closer but stopped, not sure what he should do.

            "I...I-I'll try my best. I'll work hard." He murmured quietly. Viktor noticed that Yuuri's eyes were significantly different in moments like these, not filled with fear or nervousness, and softer than Viktor knew eyes could be. If it were anyone else- a female underclassman, perhaps- Viktor would have dropped his gaze to break the moment with a sultry joke, but with Yuuri, he was drawn in closer, wanting more... but, would it be fine? Would he be crossing the boundary too far? Considering, they'd only known each other for so long. Before the exhilaration of the moment could fade, however, Viktor decided not to question it, and to just do it.

            Yuuri couldn't look away from Viktor, even if he wanted to. His gaze was questioning, a question that Yuuri didn't know the answer to. But he saw the other lean forward, making his breath hitch. They were so close, he was sure he could see the snowflakes dancing in the other's blue irises. He wasn't used to this kind of attention, but his body wouldn't move away, he was frozen by sheer curiosity to see what the Durmstrang captain would do.

            "Well, let this motivate you a little." Was what Yuuri heard before the other closed the distance. Viktor decided that Yuuri could slap him for being an idiot later; but for now- it was just a little, brief kiss. He leaned in gently until their foreheads touched, bringing a close to the small gap between their lips. The Slytherin’s eyes widened, and Viktor's lips met his. Soft and gentle, not a forceful kiss, but it still set him on fire nonetheless. Yuuri's pleasant but not overpowering smell flooded Viktor’s senses, and it was slow, soft- comforting in ways that words could never be- but almost as soon as it started, Viktor pulled back, unsure if what he'd just done had been all right. He never intentionally wanted to make Yuuri feel uncomfortable- so it was probably best not to continue.

            Yuuri's brain seemed to shut off and restart a little, blushing deeply once he pulled away. Part of Yuuri's mind told him the kiss meant nothing, that Viktor had probably kissed lots of people. But his heart was in control in the moment, and before he could reason his way out of embarrassing himself, he had gently raised a hand and cupped the side of Viktor's face, his face a mix of surprise and happy disbelief. He brought him forward again and kissed him once more, eyes closing as he relished this feeling that was blooming in his chest. It made him feel warm, lightheaded, and unstoppable all at the same time. The kiss was slow like the first one, but he moved his lips a little, initiating something more but not much, he didn't push his luck, not wanting to make Viktor uncomfortable either.

            Slightly taken aback and surprised by the way Yuuri went in for another kiss, this time more confident and affirmative than the last, Viktor had to fight back the urge to smile several seconds into it. He carefully brought a hand up to rest it below the other male's ear, thumb softly caressing his cheek as their breaths mingled, and the howling wind around them became nothing more than a mere whistle in the background. Yuuri's lips had the distant taste of mint, mixed with a heartwarming sweetness, like honey. Viktor could feel his heartbeat quicken, almost fluttering inside his chest (something that he didn't experience very often) at the delicate but not entirely innocent nature of the kiss. It was true that he'd given and received more than a few kisses before... but they'd either been quick pecks, or lackluster ones devoid of any genuine emotion. But this- this, he could get used to. It was like his salvation, but at the same time, his torment- just knowing he should probably stop now; he should probably break apart, but wanting so badly to continue. Except he shouldn't- _couldn’t_ , take it any further than that- it didn't seem right, considering their positions. This was _Yuuri_. Yuuri was, apparently, a big fan of him, but that must have been it. Viktor himself wasn't sure what this was, if he had to admit. He wasn't completely sure of how he felt about the whole thing, and the last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of or hurt anybody. Especially not Yuuri, who honestly deserved so much more. _This was purely to motivate him. Nothing else_. Thus, Viktor pulled back slowly, subtly gathering some much needed oxygen. He still kept one hand firmly placed on Yuuri's back, however, hesitant to end the amazing moment.

            Yuuri could feel himself melting, it wasn't even registering _who_ he was making out with in the middle of a field at the moment, all he knew was that in this moment he felt alive, he didn't feel like running away, he felt worthy. Viktor was kissing him just as much as he was, his lips were incredibly soft...and tasted like something sweet, possibly a pastry he'd had earlier. Tingles ran down his spine at how warm he felt, and not an explicit type of warm either...a content feeling. When Viktor pulled away, the first thing Yuuri noticed was the cold breeze blowing between them, making him shiver a little.

            "Was that okay?" Viktor finally asked, quietly but steadily, after finding his voice again.

            "Yes...yes that was more than okay." Yuuri assured, blushing deeply.

            "Was...was _that_ okay? I um...wow I pretty much jumped you there. That was...I'm so sorry. I should have asked first, I hope I didn't offend you..." The smaller of the two said shyly, but he didn't pull away. Viktor still had his hand firmly on his back, holding him in a gentle but confident way.

            "I um...I-I feel very motivated now. And i-if you need motivation, I'll give some to you. If you want." Yuuri offered, looking up at him. Viktor was blushing too, there was a storm gathering behind his eyes, and he wasn't sure if it was good or bad...but he couldn't bring himself to worry. The wind blew a little harder, making Yuuri push his glasses up before they blew off.

            "Let's go get some dinner before it gets dark, and we can meet at the entrance for practice after." He suggested, easily sliding their hands together as they walked. In the short time he had been hanging around Viktor, Yuuri was beginning to see him as more human. Which made him feel terrible, to think he also idolized him like everyone else, he almost didn't feel worthy to have a connection with the other like this. But now he felt this protectiveness over him. Viktor was someone with secrets, someone who seemed distant a lot, and Yuuri wanted to make him smile and laugh, to see those peaceful expressions on his face like he had in the tower that first night. Now, he didn't want to talk about how amazing he was, because he knew Viktor had heard it all, and he wanted instead to talk about the simple things he liked about Viktor. The way he laughed, how adventurous he was, motivational, how really he was just like him.

            "I'm really glad I get to compete with you...in both Quidditch and the tournament." Yuuri blurted out, looking up at him as they approached the entrance.

            "I've come to see you as a friend...and I...I want to have more adventures with you. If you're ever in Japan for some reason, you're always welcome in my village. There's lots of adventures we could have there." He said with a smile, feeling the heat of the torches warm them as they found their way on the path that led up to Hogwarts so they could go and get dinner. Yes…adventures. That’s what he wanted with Viktor. He wanted to experience that with him, have fun, and enjoy being young while they could. Because Yuuri knew the world could be cruel, and he didn’t want to waste a single second before Viktor was ripped away from him.

 


	6. Slytherin Wit & Durmstrang Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hype of the Triwizard Tournament is starting to die down, and reality has set in. Yuuri has a plan, but first he has to survive the Quidditch game tomorrow. But when Viktor offers to practice with him, Yuuri might get a little more that night than just some practice on his broom. 
> 
> Not nsfw yet, but that might come up later!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much you guys for being so patient!! School came and decided to knock me off my feet as well as my wonderful friend: Depression. So now that I've pulled myself out of that cess-pool, here's chapter 6 of "Silver Streams & Dark Skies". 
> 
> I've been thinking of changing the title to: "Lessons in Love", I think this because I made the starter while listening to this song! But I'll leave that up to you! Leave a comment below saying whether you like the current title, or "Lessons in Love!"

            As the two walked in the school was quiet save for the rustle and bumbling of the students that could be heard in the Great Hall. They took their time making their way there, enjoying the way the muffled noises sort of put them in their own bubble. Viktor found that he enjoyed touching Yuuri; he enjoyed holding his hand and holding him, he felt comfortable…and he hadn’t felt this comfortable around someone in a long time. Yuuri too liked how he didn’t mind Viktor touching him, he was very reserved and usually saved physical contact for people he was super close to like Phichit and a few select family members back at home. They approached the doors and Viktor pouted lightly when he realized they couldn’t just walk in holding hands, not without causing an uproar of rumors, so he squeezed the other’s hand and kissed it.

            Yuuri blushed as the man brought his hand to his lips, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Viktor was so forward in some moments and vague the next, he wasn’t sure what to make of him sometimes. In fact he didn’t know what to make of today. He was somehow worthy of participating in the Triwizard Tournament and worthy of Viktor’s time and attention, he was still trying to process everything, including the fact that he and Viktor had made out by the lagoon earlier.

            “What was that for?” He asked softly, Viktor only smiled.

            “It was for nothing, I just wanted to. So I did.” He informed, and as he reached for the doors Viktor found a surge of courage. _You know what…who cares who sees._ He thought with a smile, and he squeezed the other’s hand tighter as he pushed open the doors. Almost immediately Phichit was upon them, it was obvious that he had been about to leave to go and look for Yuuri again. The boy’s dark eyes widened and flooded with relief, a relieved sigh like cry escaping him.

            "Viktor you found him! Yuuri you scared me sneaking off like that!" Phichit cried as he ran up, stopping as he noticed the two holding hands.

            "Oooooh~ I see what's happening here. Maybe you _wanted_ Viktor to find you?" Phichit winked. Yuuri blushed, shaking his head.

            "N-No no no! It wasn't like that! I just needed some quiet was all so I went to the lake! Viktor had been there too was all and we started chatting and stuff!" He explained.

            "And stuff? What kind of stuff~?" Phichit teased.

            "Chatting stuff! He's right here Phi come on man!" Yuuri whined, making the Thai boy laugh as he turned to Viktor.

            "He's so fun~ If you wanna sit with us there's an extra seat! Up to you though~" He told Viktor. Viktor was flattered by the offer, and was tempted to take it. Any more time with Yuuri sounded wonderful, but he could feel the looks from the Durmstrang table, some judging and some curious as to why he was so attached to this Slytherin boy.

            “I would love to! But I’m afraid I have promised my friends from Durmstrang that I would join them tonight for dinner, but I will take you up on that offer another time most definitely!” He chirped, and looked at Yuuri with a small wink.

            Phichit smiled. "Awesome! When you have time you can sit with us~" He said, watching the other come closer to Yuuri.

            “It’s a date~ I’m looking forward to spending more time with you.” Viktor’s whisper made Yuuri's face burn red, and he glanced up at Viktor with a small nod.

            "O-Of course. I'm looking forward to it too." Yuuri said softly, voice a little shy but with a hint of mischief behind it, his lips curving into a small smirk. Viktor made his way to the table where his friends were after one last smile aimed at the smaller male and Yuuri sighed softly in content...until Phichit slid over and nudged him with his elbow.

            "So...when did you get a boyfriend?" Phichit grinned, making him jump. "H-He's not my boyfriend! He's my friend!" Yuuri said, following him to the Slytherin table.

            "Mhhhm....sure~ And I'm totally not head over heels for that flirty Ravenclaw Chirs Giacometti~" Phichit sang, Yuuri groaned and sat down, patting his cheeks to hopefully get the redness to go down.

            "V-Viktor doesn't like me like that! We respect each other, and he's offered to coach me in magic...I was going to ask for extra lessons anyway with the first challenge coming up..." He explained, filling his plate with turkey, potatoes and gravy.

            "Coach you? Yuuri that's amazing! With a wizard like Viktor, you'll be top of the class in no-time!" Phichit cheered, patting is back in congratulations.

            "Ah...t-thank you. Um...we're um...going to practice after dinner actually. For the match tomorrow. We're facing off again, Durmstrang and Slytherin~"

            "Oh yeah! Oooh tomorrow's game is going to be amazing! And what a pair! The Captain and the Seeker~ Sounds like a good romance." Phichit winked. Yuuri shoved food in his mouth to stop himself from saying something stupid, like _agreeing_ with him.

            It was a little awkward as he looked around. A lot of the Quidditch team was sitting close together and discussing tactics for tomorrow, the school seemed to be split on support when it came to the Triwizard Tournament though, just hearing the comments brought back a lot of the anxiety Yuuri had been feeling earlier that day. Half of his table was supportive and giving him smiles and assuring him that he would do well. But hearing the support helped ease him just as quickly as the anxiety had popped up. He wasn’t particularly close with his teammates in Quidditch, but he worked well with them and held respect for each member, they all worked hard to get to where they were. He heard the tell-tale laugh of Emil and turned as his name was called, he blushed lightly as the team cheered a little for him getting the part of ‘Hogwarts Champion’.

            "You're a great team player!" Emil reminded him, giving him a thumbs up.

             "Yeah I'm sure it'll be okay. Use your shy nature to steal points~" Mickey grinned. Yuuri thanked them both for their encouragement, while Phichit snuck onto his phone under the table to message someone. Yuuri snuck a glance and saw the usual hearts and emojis being sent back and forth, and rolled his eyes and relaxed some more.

            "Chris?" Yuuri smirked. "Phht. Of course~ He's trying to see if he can sneak cookies and brownies into the tupperware he brought without Minerva seeing. He wants to do a sweet escape with me later." Yuuri groaned.

            "Oh my god that's so terrible!"

            "The idea?" Phichit gasped.

            "No the pun! God you two were meant for each other." Yuuri giggled, feeling more at ease now that he was calmed down and with people he knew. He could hear some less supportive comments from the table behind him, they weren't trying very hard to be discreet.

            "I don't even know what he _does_ here. Does he even have passing grades?" One girl scoffed.

            "I mean he's cute, but that's about all he has going for him...his magic isn't the strongest. He's going to die when the first challenge comes up." Another piped in.

            "Yeah! He'll probably freeze up and start crying~" Yuuri felt more irritated than offended. Before the drawing people had at least been more reserved of their opinions towards him as the least talented foreign exchange student. What did _they_ know anyways? It wasn’t like he had the advantage of living close to the school, he was constantly switching between the magic he learned at home and the magic he learned here which had much more rules and strict movements than his did. It was confusing and it was hard for him to keep it all straight.

            "Don't listen to them, Yuuri. They're just mad because they're single and you have standards." Phichit chuckled.

            "Standards? And what are those standards?" Yuuri asked.

            "One, be Viktor Nikiforov. Two, make out with you~" Phichit teased.

            "Oh my god seriously, Phichit!" Yuuri groaned, hiding his face in his hands.

 

~.~.~

 

            "Yo, you bastard! Don't- don't just steal them!" Yuri yelled out angrily as Viktor strutted away after dinner, a pirozhki in each hand.

            "I told you, they're filled with PORK CUTLET, SCRAMBLED EGGS, AND WHITE RICE- I got them just today!"

            "Hm? These were just sitting out in the middle of the table, I'm not sure what you mean, Yurio!" Viktor called back, already dismissing the thought of the irate teenager and focusing his musings back on delivering the pastries to Yuuri's table. Yuri had brought out a bag earlier while they'd been eating, babbling on about how his grandfather had finally gotten around to making some "Japanese-stuffed pirozhki buns." Although Viktor hadn't understood exactly what he'd meant, hearing that it was part Japanese had automatically caught his attention; he'd just sneakily take two out of the bag, and offer them to Yuuri as a friendly, "I'm-going-to-be-your-coach-soon" gesture. Given, he hadn't been very slick and Yuri was now protesting with rage, but Viktor only found it all the more entertaining. He'd pay Yuri back somehow- maybe charm his way out of it, although Yuri found his charisma nothing but "nasty."

            Yuuri meanwhile had pushed his plate to the side when finished, and was chatting with friends while keeping an eye on the Durmstrang table. Since they had two other schools here now, all the Hogwarts students were sharing tables now to make room as well as mingling with the other schools. It was a huge cluster and Yuuri found it sweet how everyone could come together like this. Hufflepuff had blended in with Slytherin that evening, which Yuuri enjoyed because the little third year who always cheered for him was saying hi.

            "You'll do great, Yuuri! I'll be the Captain of the cheer squad for you! You're the best seeker ever and I know you'll bring home the Tri-Wizard Tournament Cup!" Minami squealed, making Yuuri blush at his praise.

            "A-Ah...I wouldn't say the _best_ seeker, but I earned my place there. Thank you, Kenjiro, your cheers honestly make me really happy." He replied, watching the young teen blush and his eyes widen.

            "Really!? That's amazing! You're so nice!!!" Minami cried, jumping up and down.

            "Minami-kun, you should go finish your dinner and studies. I wouldn't want you to miss the game tomorrow~" Yuuri cooed, watching him run off.

            "Aww you're so nice to your fans~" Phichit grinned.

            "Fan, not plural. I have one." Yuuri corrected, chuckling.

            "But he's a kid so I don't want him getting too excited before bed. I know how upset I'd feel when I missed a game due to homework." He sighed, only to blink as a commotion broke out. Phichit and Yuuri turned their heads to see Viktor running towards their table, Yuri Plisetsky spitting fire behind him as Viktor was carrying....something. A bun?

            "Yuuuri!" Viktor uttered in a sing-song voice, pacing to Yuuri's seat and showing off the pastry buns. Yuuri felt an arrow pierce his heart at the way Viktor sang his name, it made his cheeks warm.

            "If you're finished with dinner, Yurio over there..." Viktor said, sneaking a glance at the younger boy, who was now glaring daggers at him, but was too embarrassed to retrieve the Pirozhki back. "... has a gift for you!”

            "I-I am finished....Yuri has a gift for me?" He asked in surprise, eyes widening as he took the pastry.

            “It's a Russian stuffed bun, but the filling inside is... ah... Japanese pork cutlet, or something like that," Viktor continued, handing the Pirozhki to Yuuri.

            "Japanese pork cutlet...wait, this has pork cutlet bowl fillings in it?" Yuuri asked, a grin on his face.

            "Oh no! Viktor you found his sweet spot! That's Yuuri's favorite food~" Phichit sang.

            "Shhhh! Don't give away my weakness!" Yuuri laughed, standing up and getting out from the table. He took a bite, and sure enough it was the pork cutlet bowl he had missed from home. It wasn’t as good as his mother’s, but there was no mistaking the delicious rice with a warm egg yolk mixed in, the pork creating the perfect savory and salty compliment to everything else. Yuuri had eaten the pirozhki rather quickly, enjoying the taste and savoring the treat. He was sure he wouldn't get another one any time soon.

            "Aw...it's gone..." He pouted some, and gently brushed the crumbs off his face with his hand.  Viktor watched as Yuuri devoured the Pirozhki in mere seconds- which, speaking of, he hadn't realized the Japanese boy was such a speedy eater until now. Leftover crumbs stuck around his mouth and some even making it as far as his cheeks. It was... cute, if Viktor had to admit.

            "This is amazing..." He turned to look for Yuri, and found him glaring daggers. But he didn't care, he was touched the other had gifted him something at all.

            "Thank you, Yuri!!! You’re amazing!" He called, turning to face Viktor again.

            "Thank you for bringing this over~ And yeah! I'm finished, want to go train now?" He questioned, ignoring the gasps and whispers from the Hogwarts students.

            "All right then, let's get on our-" Viktor started, bringing a hand to place on Yuuri's shoulder.

            "Hah! That's right! My best friend is being coached by Viktor and you're not! See it and weep!" Phichit cackled, crossing his arms like he had just won some victory. He was petty when it came to those he cared for, and if he could rub this in the face of those who discouraged Yuuri, he would. Yuuri blinked in surprise at Phichit's sharp remark, blushing lightly in embarrassment.

            "I-It's okay, Phi! People have different opinions, you don't have to defend my honor or whatever..." He assured, Phichit shook his head.

            "Nope! Too late. You're amazing and I gotta make everyone realize that. Sorry Yuuri, I don't make the rules." The shorter boy shrugged, grinning. Viktor shot Phichit a surprised look, though it was more amused than anything. He hadn't been expecting the sudden, sharp remark. It had attracted the attention of several, however, and heads turned simultaneously to glance over at him and the two Slytherins. However, Viktor couldn't disagree or hide the smug grin that broke out on his face, so he brushed some hair away from his face and uttered a simple-

            "True! I’ve taken on a student of my own~” It made Phichit laugh to see Viktor act so smug and affirm it to the curious heads at the table. Viktor made a mental note to get some alone time with Phichit someday soon- Phichit seemed like a highly energetic and lively person who'd match up to Viktor's restlessness without a struggle- plus, considering he was Yuuri's best friend, Viktor would definitely ask him for some stories of Yuuri's most embarrassing moments, and use it as... say, maybe blackmail?

            "Okay," Viktor finally declared after the commotion had died down. "It's getting dark outside, so we'd best be on our way out now." He waved to Phichit, muttering a soft- "Yuuri's in good hands!" to the Thai boy.

            "I know he is~" Phichit cooed back, and started to get up so he could go and find Chris. Viktor spun around and lead the way out of the Great Hall.

            "Y-Yeah! We best be heading out, I'll see you back at the room!" Yuuri called to Phichit, heading towards the exit quickly. Phichit waved, smiling after his best friend.

            “Now…where are the Ravenclaw’s sitting tonight~?” Phichit cooed, looking around with a knowing smirk.

 

~.~.~

 

            Once outside, Yuuri began to lead Viktor to the exit that would lead them to the Quidditch field they had. "Phichit can get protective, we're like brothers. It's funny seeing him like that...all fired up. When in reality I stopped listening to what people said about me years ago. Just makes your school work easier to do when you're not listening to the class shit talk you." Yuuri explained, seeming rather upbeat compared to earlier.

            "Though they all have fair points. I am rather weak with a wand, it's hard for me to adjust, always has been. I know the techniques and spells like the back of my hands, but actually performing them is my downfall. I have no idea how I have passing grades." He chuckled, opening the door and holding it for the other before following him out. Viktor listened to Yuuri elaborate on his magic ability, hoping to be able to think up some method to help the other out. If performing them was his weak point, maybe it went hand-in-hand with this lack of confidence and constant nerves? After all, one couldn't just _know_ what a spell did and be done- _how_ they rehearsed it, saying it correctly, was also a major part of the whole thing... there was just one thing Viktor knew for sure, and that was that Yuuri's biggest enemy wasn't any of the rather un-supporting classmates, his professors, his wand, or anything of that sort; his biggest enemy was _himself_ , and the inner battle of anxiety verses positivity, always brewing inside his head. And while Viktor would surely try his hardest to help with that, in the end it all came down to Yuuri, and how much he was willing to love and accept himself, for the person he was.

            "Do you have a certain tent your broom is stored in? We can grab yours first and then grab mine." Yuuri suggested, looking up at the other as they began to head towards the Quidditch field.

 

            "Oh, yes. My broom is just inside here," Viktor said, clearing his thoughts and focusing solely on Quidditch for now. This extra practice was well-needed, after not having even touched a broomstick for over a week. It would be beneficial to the both of them, thankfully. He walked over to the tent, taking in the peace and calmness of the empty field in the late evening. The sun glowed a vibrant, but gradually dimming, rose-gold color in the distance, as it was swallowed up by the chilly autumn night. This was almost the perfect weather and time for Quidditch- no disruptions, no screaming or yelling in the background; it was only him and Yuuri, with no other cares in the world for just a short while. Yuuri’s mind was still on magic and his classes, he was determined to do well in his Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and as they approached the field he glanced up at the other.

            "I take good notes...I'm going to practice a lot this weekend. I'm not sure what it is I'm doing wrong. I've even drawn how the professor stands when he casts it." He said with a smile, stopping in front of the tent.

            "If only spells were as easy as dancing." Yuuri lamented. He sighed to himself after Viktor went inside. He never second-guessed his dancing, he knew where to put his feet and how to move his hands, it was natural to him, second nature. While Viktor grabbed his broom, Yuuri went and grabbed his own.

            Viktor lowered his head as he stepped into the entrance of the tent, which was obviously a million times larger in the interior. Dozens of brooms were organized into rows and columns neatly, but it only took him a second to find his; it was a stunning Silver Arrow, a fast-paced and sleek broom similar to the notorious Firebolt, but significantly more advanced now considering the ever-evolving technology. Its production was put to an end decades ago, but was just recently revived by the same company. There'd only been an extremely limited amount, however, so Viktor felt more than privileged to have gotten one before they'd quickly gone out-of-stock again. He felt his spirits rise as the undamaged broom appeared in his line of sight- it'd felt like an eternity since that last Quidditch match- so much had happened in the course of a single week and a half.

            Yuuri found the tent on the other side of the field and slipped inside, torches automatically lighting themselves as they sensed movement. He found his where he had left it, in his spot right next to Emil's who was the other chaster with Otabek. His broom was simple, hand-crafted from Tokyo in the magic district. It was the Japanese equivalent to the Nimbus 2015 and could go from zero to one hundred and twenty in ten seconds. Yuuri could be a speed demon when he really got into a match, he took care of this broom very well...his parents had spent quite a bit on it for him, and he intended to make them proud for it. He came back out, holding his broom close as he saw Viktor waiting.

            "You ready?" He asked, smiling up at him. It was then he noticed Viktor's silver arrow, and his eyes widened.

 

 

            "Wow! That's the silver arrow!" He exclaimed, looking at it closer. "That's amazing...must have cost a fortune. No wonder you're so fast~ It looks so sleek." He held up his own, looking proud.

            "It's not a brand name by any means, but it's very similar to the Nimbus 2015 model. I honestly wouldn't trade it for the world~ It was as if it was made specifically for my body. I don't worry about balancing ninety percent of the time."

            Looking at his own broom, Viktor nodded slowly in agreement. "That's good! Feeling comfortable with your broom is always top priority. Plus, the Nimbus 2015 is quite impressive... so I'm excited to see how yours works, up close." He paused for a moment, laughing a bit.

            "And preferably not while I'm falling from sixty feet in the air." Viktor rubbed his hand over the surface of his broom, recalling the smooth texture of it that he'd memorized so well. At least it'd gone undamaged from before, he thought, relieving a sigh. Then, looking back up, he pulled out his Quidditch gloves from deep inside the pocket of his uniform; made of durable, high-quality hide, they somehow still felt like pure silk between his fingers, and were resistant to all types of weather.

            Yuuri grabbed his gloves as well, chuckling. "I'd love to see how your broom works too, especially while I'm not trying to save your life." He chuckled.

            "Okay," Viktor said, slipping the gloves on and feeling a nice sense of satisfaction at the familiar routine. "We probably don't need all four balls, considering it's only the two of us. Just a single Snitch will do." Viktor himself had always been a Chaser; it was the position that earned him the recognition and title of "World-Cup-Winning Prodigy, Pride of Durmstrang," but putting the exaggerated lingo aside; it was also the one position he was most comfortable with. Of course, with the role of Captain also came the need to practice and familiarize himself to all the positions the sport had to offer, so practicing with the Snitch wouldn't be such a bad idea. He could definitely use some work in the speed and agility area, to get back into the gist of things after the hospital break. Plus, it was Yuuri- this would surely turn out to be interesting, in one way or another. Yuuri got excited and mounted his broom, floating a bit so his toes hovered above the ground.

            "I'm...really excited to practice with you, if I'm being honest. This is going to be fun~" Yuuri confessed, and blinked as Viktor took out a snitch. He tilted his head and floated closer.

            "A snitch? But Viktor you play Chaser positions mostly...are you going to try and beat me?" He smirked, moving so he was in front of him. Being with Viktor just made him feel happy, this was adventurous, and he wasn't feeling as anxious as he was earlier.

            "Well? You going to try and beat a seeker or not? Do you need me to motivate you, Vik-tor~?" He used the teasing sing song voice he had heard Yuri once use. Captivated by Yuuri's slight teasing, Viktor gave a quick wink in response.

            "We'll see!" Viktor said. Yuuri was a good Seeker- it wasn't difficult to tell. And while Viktor did some have experience playing in that position, this definitely wouldn't be easy. But he wasn't planning on showing weakness or defeat this early on; it was a pretty fair game. He mounted his own broom and kicked off the ground, moving closer to Yuuri. It felt a bit odd flying on his broom, this time around; it was probably because of the lack of practice and... the fact that he was still fully clothed in his heavy uniform. He decided to un-attach the cape from his uniform, letting it drift to the ground, before putting his attention back on the game.

            "I wouldn't mind a little 'motivation,'" Viktor hummed, tossing the Snitch up and down with his right hand. "But," he said, his voice becoming lower.

            "I don't think I'd be able to concentrate well if you did. So let's save that for if I catch the Snitch. If _you_ catch it, however... then you can ask me for anything." Yuuri leaned forward to hear Viktor better, and his voice lowered, making him blush a little. Anything he wanted? What could he possibly ask of Viktor now? Not only had the other forgiven him for his mistake, he had befriended him, accompanied him as Yuuri showed him his favorite spots, dealt with his anxiety not once, but twice; and was now offering to coach him in magic. Not to mention he had taken Yuuri's first and second kiss. He felt like asking something from him would be selfish. But he didn't have time to think about that now, it would have to wait until later, when he won. Because he _would_ win.

            Then, before the Slytherin seeker could respond, Viktor threw the Snitch out across the field where it became a fiery blur of gold and immediately took flight. A quick second later, the ball was almost completely out of sight- indicating that it was game on, now. Viktor leaned forward, clenching his thighs tightly around the broomstick and racing for the direction he'd seen the Snitch turn. Just like that, a gush of familiarity and confidence had been restored to his veins; the joy and adrenaline of Quidditch had returned, but this time, it somehow felt more alive than ever... maybe because it was only the two of them. And maybe because the reward wouldn't be a hundred screaming girls or a gaudy trophy- but instead, a short and sweet gesture. Whatever it was though, Viktor couldn't say he minded it. The thrill ushered him on with an overpowering amount of determination, telling him to just keep his eyes on the prize.

            He wouldn't go easy on the other just because he was THE Viktor Nikiforov. As soon as Viktor threw the snitch he was off, Seeker training kicking in fast. He shed his Hogwarts robe, wand tucked into the waist band of his pants. He went above Viktor, knowing the snitch tended to stay away from the ground as it had more room to fly up high, that was what made his position so dangerous. Sure enough, when he got to the top the snitch was hovering by the tallest goal, mocking them almost. He flew towards it, laughing as it went straight up and he went through the goal before following. He saw Viktor come up beside him and he grinned.

            "Not as easy as it looks huh~?" He chuckled. The wind slicked back Yuuri's hair out of his face, and gave a wink at Viktor before leaning forward and zooming past him towards the snitch straight ahead of him. For a short second, Viktor lingered in the air, unblinking. Yuuri with his hair being blown back by the wind? And his nose tinted pink from the cool evening air, expression so intent yet playful at the same time? _Yuuri_ , shooting him a suggestive wink, right before speeding away to go for the Snitch and practically taking Viktor's own heart right along with him? Oh no, he didn't. If he was insisting on handling things that way, Viktor surely wouldn't be left out of it. He inhaled a sharp breath, focusing on going as fast as he could, feeling the wind weaving through his hair and beating some of it onto his face.

            The Snitch was hovering at the center of the next hoop, its wings flapping wildly as if it were having the time of its life. Viktor could almost _taste_ the satisfaction of grabbing the Snitch in his hands, the soothing feel of the cold, smooth surface of the metal in his hands. So this was how a Seeker felt every match... the treasure was always so close, just within a hair's breadth, but at the same time, it was almost impossible to reach- like fighting for something you couldn't have... but could very much have. It was a confusing, exasperating feeling, and so amazing and unique at the same time. Yuuri never tired of this feeling, hair whipping in the wind, breeze on his face, cold nipping his skin. The glint of the snitch within sight as the torches surrounding the arena lit up for them so they could see. He could hear a change in the air pressure, and suddenly Viktor was beside him as they neared the next hoop on the opposite of the field.

            Viktor had caught back up with the other wizard and now the two were nearly side by side, brooms bumping into one another's recklessly. He leaned down again and swung his broom to the right until he was right up against Yuuri.

            "You make a tough competitor, Yuuri!" Viktor called over the roaring gusts of wind, eyes narrowed and glancing over at the other.

            "Thank you!" Yuuri called over the gusts. "You're not too bad yourself I guess~" He teased, and reached forward, laughing when the snitch inevitably evaded them once more.

            Viktor normally wouldn't be able to use charisma as an advantage during Quidditch matches, but it wouldn't hurt to give this a try- to play things that way. Thus, he enclosed the few inches between them, planting a sloppy kiss on Yuuri's cheek (third time's a charm, right?) and then pulling back- only to find the Snitch suddenly fly into the space between the two, and then dive downwards.

            Viktor came closer, brooms recklessly close and Yuuri tightened his grip on his own to keep it steady, also keeping an eye on Viktor. He didn't want him to fall again, he didn't want to take that risk. But then Viktor leaned in too close, taking him by surprise as a (rather sloppy) kiss was planted upon his cheek, and Yuuri thought he would sail straight through the hoop and crash into the seats behind them. But he didn't, he stopped with Viktor, blushing deeply and looking over at him with a playful gaze. So that's the game he was playing huh?

            "You know...your teaching methods are rather interesting. But very motivational.” Yuuri teased, eye having caught the glint of the snitch once more, between them. He slowly moved his hand forward, leaning closer until it slipped form his fingertips and dove down. Before Viktor could do anything he cupped his cheek with one hand, moving his hair back out of his face with his other one before leaning in and brushing their lips together before reaching down and spinning his broom, sending Viktor into a slow and harmless barrel roll.

            "Better luck next time, Vitya~" He called, zooming downwards and then to the left towards the snitch once more. At the straightforward, direct kiss on the _lips_ and Yuuri's use of the name ‘Vitya’,Viktor was convinced that this had to be illegal somewhere in the Quidditch handbook. He hadn't ever been played against this way- well, honestly, who had? This was a sport that required much physical contact, but... never _this_ kind of contact. However, he didn't have much time to think about it at the moment, as the Snitch was in plain sight and oh so close.

            "Yuuri!" He shouted rather childishly, speeding in a downwards spiral to catch up.

            "Not fair, that was a foul! Number two on the list, blatching!" Blatching, also known as flying with the intent to collide. Obviously, the light smooch hadn't actually been a foul, and even if it had been, Viktor had practically done the same thing. But it really should have been a violation of rights- _Viktor_ was the one to be surprising people with these types of things; where was Yuuri getting this shameless, yet so alluring confidence? Because Viktor would definitely want to see some more of it. Yuuri laughed and dove up at the last second, red faced and panting softly from the exhilaration of it all.

            "We're just practicing! Never said we were abiding by game rules, Vitya~ We're just getting some broom time in, right?" He called, but definitely knew what he had just pulled would be a foul.

            "Besides, weren't you the one who started it? Colliding with my cheek like that?" He teased, zooming up past him after the snitch dodged again.

            Yuuri's whole demeanor changed when he played Quidditch. As a seeker he was a loner in a sense, he had one mission, no worries at all. When he was playing he was too focused on the snitch to let his anxiety bother him, so he was able to have the confidence he wished he could always have. He always told Phichit that if he could just constantly be on his broomstick chasing a snitch, maybe he'd act normal and people would take him more seriously. But that wasn't how life worked. But right now, with Viktor having kissed him twice now that day, and playing with him as a good friend, Yuuri thought life was working pretty well at the moment.

            The tiny golden ball had nearly reached the ground, before making a sharp turn back up again and charging straight at Viktor's face, making his eyes cross- this was his chance. It was _right there._ Having been a Chaser for the majority of the time, he was swift and quick-witted on a broom- just a little bit shy of a Seeker. But his abilities were even more so focused on power, trickery, and force- not necessarily the best combination to catch a Golden Snitch, but he'd put it to use somehow. As it flew for his face, he reached his hand out quickly, fingertips brushing the feathery wings for a split second- only for it to zoom away elsewhere. _Dammit_ , Viktor thought. This position really was a pain in the ass, huh?

            This time Yuuri focused harder, he zoned in on the golden ball. He _would_ get it, he _would_ beat Viktor Nikiforov. He was almost lying flat on his broom at this point, ankles hooked right above the bristles to keep him steady, and his dominant arm keeping him balanced as he reached out, faster and faster as the snitch got closer and closer. He didn't even know where Viktor was, but he could feel the snitch now, his finger tips brushing over the cool metal, its wings fluttering faster than a hummingbird's. Yuuri was sure if he got his skin too close to those wings it would slice the glove material and his skin, but he lurched forward at the last second, hand closing around it as he and his broom flipped and he came to an abrupt stop, clutching his broom for dear life but not worried in the slightest. Viktor watched as all the events unraveled, stunned by Yuuri's determination and actual _success_ at catching the Snitch. At some point during Viktor's own chase for the ball, he'd stopped and was now just sitting on his broom, floating in mid-air and only slightly mesmerized by the sight displayed before him. _God_ , how could he possibly play against Yuuri now? And concentrate at the match tomorrow? That game would be the last one for a while (considering the Triwizard Tournament and all). But nevertheless... after today, he'd surely be overly distracted for a good length of time- things like this tended to happen. Something rare or out-of-the-ordinary would occur, and then it'd leave Viktor absentminded for days or weeks; it was something that he'd have to work on- his attentiveness and focus. Well, at least he wasn't actually a Seeker for the team- thank goodness for that.

            "HA! I WIN!" Yuuri yelled in victory, holding up the snitch and watching Viktor come closer. "Another point for Slytherin~" He winked.

            "Good job, Yuuri. Your stamina is excellent," Viktor applauded, voice somewhat breathless from all the fast-paced flying. He glided over slowly, pushing his hair (that'd somehow all fallen out of his ponytail) out of his face to get a better view. Yuuri was also a bit out of breath, grinning ear to ear as Viktor praised him.

            "Thank you!" The boy called, and lowered himself to the ground. Yuuri went over to the box, chuckling at his comments.

            "I won't go down that easy next time... just a bit rusty today- ahah!" He said with a shrug, a guilty and unconvincing expression plastered on his face.

            "I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match, I think it will be interesting. And not because we're falling to our doom." Yuuri joked, and put the snitch away, thanking it for its time and energy as he always did.

            "Now," Viktor continued on, lowering himself to the ground and dismounting the broom.

            "I guess since you won... ask for anything!" When Yuuri turned around he saw Viktor fighting with his now tangled hair some now that he was off his broom, and he realized then that he didn't know _what_ he wanted from Viktor besides his lips. Ever since he had been pushed into Viktor by Myrla, the urge to kiss him had gotten stronger. But that would be selfish...right? _Yuuri he kissed your cheek and he kissed you earlier, I think it's safe to assume he's into guys_. He motivated himself, looking around as he went behind Viktor and began gently combing his fingers through his hair.

            "Here...hand me your hair band." He said softly, and once he had gotten it detangled he put it in a ponytail for him, moving to stand in front of the other again. The wind kept blowing around them softly, the field now quiet and the scene seemed almost intimate as they stood there beneath the torches, sweat cooling on their brows.

            "Since I won...would it be too forward to um...to ask for..." Yuuri sighed and blushed deeply. "...I want to kiss you, Viktor Nikiforov. And you probably get that a million times a day, so if you don't want to make out with me I won't be too put out, because you deserve respect and I would feel terrible if I forced you into something. I don't want to seem selfish is all. If you don't want to, I wouldn't mind maybe...another dance?" He would at least give Viktor an out if he wasn't feeling the same. But in the moment he just wanted to _try_ , maybe Viktor had been flirting...was it possible? Was it possible that maybe these feelings of his were more than just admiration but were admiration and perhaps something more romantic? Especially since he had met the real Viktor, Yuuri felt a pull towards Viktor, a pull from his chest as if his heart was reaching out towards the other, yelling 'stay close to me!'

            Viktor seemed to be quiet for some time, and Yuuri was worried that he had offended him. Maybe the kisses really were _just_ motivation, no emotion or connection behind them. But he bit his lip and waited patiently, maybe Viktor was thinking of a polite way to turn him down for the dance instead, which was fine with him. He had no idea what he was doing, all Yuuri knew was that he felt like he had to take advantage of every moment he had with the other. He had never really questioned his sexuality, he had crushed on a few girls in the past, tried dating them even...but they always ended horribly since he wasn't 'man enough' as his last ex had said. But he didn't feel the same awkwardness when thinking about Viktor like that...holding his hand, taking him out, cupping his face and telling him he's beautiful. It all seemed so natural for him! And he had been letting those thoughts plague him a lot recently, which terrified him. He didn't want to drive Viktor away, or scare him off. It was his biggest fear about all this, somehow messing it up.

            "A kiss?" Viktor mumbled in a soft voice, face relaxed as Yuuri weaved his hands through his hair in tender, practiced motions, and tied it back up. He laughed a bit, dropping his broom to pick up his cape from off the ground and throw it back around him. He was completely fine with Yuuri's request; more than happy to go through with it, honestly. But it still didn't stop the confusion and uncertainty from lingering at the back of his mind, nagging at him. What were the two of them _doing_ , exactly? Yeah, they'd kissed and they'd "flirted," and it wasn't like Viktor hadn't ever done that before. Because he had. He'd done it a million and one times- but never really seriously, and never really... well, with a guy? But now, with Yuuri here, his emotions were a big, jumbled up mess- seriously, he couldn't recall the last time his _feelings_ had gotten in the way of anything and swallowed him whole like this. And while Yuuri didn't seem unsure or doubtful at all of his request, Viktor felt like his heart would explode any minute. Whether it was from the overwhelming joy or confusion, he couldn't tell. He turned around, facing the other and tilting his head. In the darkness of the approaching night, with the only light source now being the glowing torches around them, he couldn't really make out Yuuri's expression. Was he happy? Puzzled, as well? Perhaps blushing, as he often was?

            "Why not have both?" Viktor finally breathed out, feeling the tension of the moment. Viktor turned to face Yuuri, and the boy looked up to see what his answer was, cheeks tinted pink still and his hair still in the slicked back pattern thanks to the intense wind from flying. At Viktor's response he blinked, both?

            "Both?" Yuuri asked, and stepped a little closer. "A-As long as you're comfortable with both...I would be too~ Do you want to...maybe move this to the lookout tower? The one I took you to the beginning of the week to star-gaze?" He suggested.

            _Both_?! Viktor realized what he'd said only a little too late, after the words came sputtering out of his mouth in his usual, smooth tone. He may have sounded slick as always, but his internal monologue was really just yelling at him and asking what the hell he was trying to get at. His actions had always been ruled by first instincts and spontaneity; it was just a natural part of his personality, but never in this way. He'd never really reflected too much on what he did, usually just lived in the moment. But now— all of this was only making the situation even more complex— Viktor didn't exactly understand the extent of this relationship… but that was fine for now, wasn't it? Why would he ever turn down a kiss _and_ a dance to begin with? He'd stress over the trivial stuff later.

            “Oh, yes!” His eyes widened with excitement as Yuuri mentioned the tower again, memories of the not-long-ago first night rushing back and replenishing his energy.

            “Let's go then!” Viktor said, first making his way over to put his broom away, then stuffing his gloves back into his pocket. It made Yuuri happy to see that Viktor looked excited. He too smiled and nodded.

            "Okay!" Yuuri ran and put his broom away too, making sure everything of his was in place for the game tomorrow before heading back out. He met Viktor by the tent for visiting teams, smiling and offering his hand shyly.

            "Shall we go? The night is clear...I bet the stars look amazing right now." Yuuri hummed smoothly, and they began to walk. In the darkness of the newly found night, Yuuri found himself at peace as he walked with Viktor. The cold wasn't bothering him, and he didn't fear anything that could happen as they passed the Dark Forest. Hogwarts was approaching in the distance, the large castle illuminated by the moon above it, making the towers seem to glow, the little windows with candle lights in them making it look like faerie lights dancing around the brick.

            Viktor walked along the path back to the castle, hand-in-hand with Yuuri. It was amazing how quickly the day had slipped by, and how much had happened. It was even hard to remember all the events of the past 12 hours; they felt so far away, though they'd quite frankly _just_ occurred- the morning spent with Ednis and Myrla, name drawing, boring meeting in the Headmistress's study, honest heart-to-heart with Ednis, kiss(es), Quidditch... the list went on, and Viktor couldn't quite believe that it'd all gone down today. Unfortunately, once classes started back up again and training began, there wouldn't be much time for stuff like this again- he'd just have to savor today. He would have to savor his time with Yuuri, and drink in the happiness the boy caused him to feel. He didn’t know what he should call this feeling, but he decided for now…he would call it love. Love as a whole, it was an affection he hadn’t felt in such a long time, and he planned to show Yuuri how much it meant to him that he could bring this side of the Russian out.


	7. Can't Help Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Viktor embark to the tower where it all began, and when they are alone new realizations will come to light, and since episode 7 was such a historic moment...this chapter is also full of surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for being so patient! Fall break is coming up so hopefully I will be able to post Ch. 8 this week or this weekend! h2hoe and I are working hard on creating more of this story together, but since both of us are rather busy there might be a short hiatus soon! But we will not abandon it~ 
> 
> Also feel free to message me on tumblr: thissideofparad-ice (art blog) & emotional-fish (personal) if you have made any fanart or just want to talk! Any fanworks of this fic will be linked in the next chapter's notes!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

            "Here...this way." Yuuri said softly, tugging Viktor around the back way of the castle. Once he came to the door he unlocked it with an easy spell.

            "After you~" He cooed, holding the door open. Viktor swept up the stairs in excitement, leaving Yuuri to catch up after shutting and locking the door behind them as he always did. When they arrived back at the top, a large grin slid onto Viktor's lips and he wandered in, spinning around to get a good view of the place. It looked just as stunning as it had been the other night: the deep ebony feathers of the night draped over the tower, decorated with a gleaming arrangement of stars, their twinkling proving to be an enchanting sight, again. They blinked and flickered away into the shadows, yet always came back into view. It was truly astonishing, and Viktor was sure it'd never cease to amaze him. Yuuri had ran up after him, smiling and chest fluttering in anticipation. He caught Viktor at the top, the porcelain man gazing at the stars with a beautiful and serene smile upon his pink lips, eyes warm and content. The moon gave them enough light to see where they were going, but they were still hidden from view, it was their own little hideaway, Yuuri was happy that he could share it with the other.

            "Well," The silver haired man finally began. The previously wide grin had settled into a subtle smile, and he stepped nearer to Yuuri, anticipation welling up inside his chest. He held out his right hand for the other to take, bowing slightly.

            "Shall we?" Viktor turned towards him, offering a hand and bowing slightly, asking him to dance. Yuuri’s face bloomed in a happy blush, and he took his hand without hesitation, bringing it up to his lips and kissing the knuckles. Viktor’s own cheeks were dusted rose from the simple yet intimate gesture, and his eyes warmed.

            "Yes...we shall." Yuuri breathed, and with a pleased expression on Viktor’s face, he pulled Yuuri in closer, until their noses practically touched. Yuuri smiled at the other, Viktor was a few inches taller...who was the happiest man on earth it seemed, whose smile was more genuine now than he had ever seen in any picture. Yuuri wasted no time in gently holding his hand and letting his other rest on his shoulder, feeling Viktor's other arm go around his waist.

            "I haven't felt this good in a while...if someone told me I'd be dancing with Viktor Nikiforov in a moonlit tower a year ago I would laugh in their face and tell them they were on something. But now it just seems like I've known you forever and it just...it feels right to share this space with you, if you ever need to get away you can come up here without me...this has always been my little hideaway when things get stressful. If it helps you too, then please take advantage of it while you're at Hogwarts~" Yuuri offered, squeezing his hand.

            The two took slow, simple steps around the tower. It should have felt stranger, since there was no music. But no- even with the silence embracing them, there was no awkwardness or shyness to be detected. The movements all flowed in so naturally with a sort of dazzling grace, and despite the simplicity, every motion came with purposeful clarity. There was something just so exhilarating about it all; the yearning to dance freely that he'd had, but could never get until now. The desire to dance in the darkness under starlit nights, and to not constantly feel the unrestrained joy tainted by the fear of discovery. Each passing day had always been filled with obligation, duty, and the need to "protect his self-image"- a mandate that had never sat well with Viktor's soul. But now, here he was- waltzing with Yuuri, a regular member of Slytherin house... who'd actually turned out to be anything but _regular._

            "If someone had told me I'd be neglecting Quidditch and stealing from Yurio for _you_ , Yuuri Katsuki, I don't think I'd have believed them either," Viktor laughed in response.

            "Then again, I don't think I'd really believe that anything in these past few days would really happen. It's all so out-of-the-blue, but... thanks, Yuuri. I'll definitely be visiting up here again." He hummed, and Yuuri laughed softly at that, smiling up at him.

            "I thought it was really sweet that you did that for me. I'll have to give him something in return~ He seemed pretty heated about it." Yuuri giggled, remembering how the blonde Russian had yelled and attempted to chase Viktor but to no avail.

            "It really is out of the blue...everything is just going so fast. A week ago I was focused on studies and how to move faster and with more agility on my broom...but now I'm trying to figure out how I won't get myself killed in the most dangerous tournament the wizarding world can offer...why I was picked I'll never guess." Yuuri shyly placed his head on Viktor's chest as they stepped, listening to the steady beat of the other's heart.

            "But I know if you're my competitor it'll be okay...the theme was team work...and I'd say we work pretty well together." He hummed, loving how close they were. He hadn't ever spoken to Mila, but he was sure she was kind and was looking forward to working with her as well. Yuuri soon pulled his head back up, and switched their hands so he could lead.

             "I want to show you something." Yuuri whispered, noses brushing. "Don't be afraid, the lights won't hurt you."

            And with a sudden burst of inspiration to just _show_ Viktor how much these past few days had meant to him, he began to dance. But this time Viktor was with him, he leaped and spun with Viktor, throwing him out to spin only to pull him back in a sort of tango like manner, but completely unique all on its own. Surprised by the sudden change of mood (and dance), Viktor found himself being pulled elegantly along the floor of the tower, every movement full of poetry and definition. Yuuri’s legs swung smoothly, lights glowing on his finger tips as more energy flowed through him. He held onto Viktor's hand with his own, his free one cupping his face and illuminating it with a smile, their entwined hands engulfed in blue light. Yuuri was actually quite the charmer, as it showed clearly and brightly through his dancing; why didn't he get more recognition for it? They advanced across the room, retreated, pirouetted, their hands locked together tightly and heads swaying.

            Viktor’s cape, along with Yuuri's robe fluttered freely behind them, making the experience feel all the more thrilling. The darkness inside the tower hid many of their features, but the luminous shine of the stars overpowered the night until it were merely brief glimpses of darkness. The Slytherin boy continued to dance with Viktor, using his arm to create dazzling spirals around them until he stopped and he grinned. Around them floated his tiny lights, flickering like fireflies or stars as they slowly spun and sunk around them, streams of white and blue light circled around them, and he turned up to him. Beams and ribbons of lights had gathered around them, enlivening the area and making the scene seem even more like something out of a fairy tail. It was all astounding, even the second time around. Viktor couldn't help but to stand still for a good while, breathless, to just take in the aesthetic of the enchanting blue glow encircling them.

            "The Dance of Light...that's what my magic is called...I wanted you to see it up close since you were so enamored with it last time." Yuuri confessed, blushing some. "It's a thank you...not a formal routine, but with a similar effect. Thank you, Viktor...for being my friend despite my flaws." Could he really call him a friend? What were they?

            He turned to face him, eyes reflecting the lights. Yuuri slowly leaned up and brushed their lips together, heart beating wildly from the dance and the action he had just performed. He stayed close, arms wrapping around his shoulders and foreheads pressed together gently, wondering if Viktor would kiss him again. When Yuuri came close and put his arms around Viktor's shoulders, happiness blossomed inside him at the new sense of comfort and familiarity the two of them seemed to have created. This was a nice start to building up some of that much-needed confidence for Yuuri, to increase his self-esteem. As long as he felt all right being around Viktor like this, then that alone already showed progress.

            "You're very welcome, but I should probably thank _you_ , for putting up with my impulsiveness as well. And for showing me something as amazing as your dancing!" Viktor said, obvious warmth and fondness embellishing his tone. It never got old, watching the way Viktor's eyes lit up when he saw his magic, how his eyes were wide and in absolute awe. It felt good to know that someone appreciated it. Phichit could do a little bit of it...but he had his own type of dance, he usually only performed it at ceremonies at home though. Yuuri performed his whenever he could, it reminded him of home and it always brought him a sense of peace.

            "The way you dance like your body is creating music on its own..." He would have continued- he probably could have rambled on for hours about Yuuri's dancing. But instead, he simply threw himself forwards on top of Yuuri, meeting the other male's lips as the two of them landed on the ground with a ‘thump’. There were times were single actions could speak a million words, and now was definitely one of those moments.

            When Viktor began speaking he looked up, smiling softly, cheeks pink. But what he didn't expect was what happened next. For Yuuri it happened in slow motion: Viktor turned his gaze towards him, his eyes warm and encompassing his heart even more than they already did, his smile widened, and he found himself reaching for Viktor as the Durmstrang student leaped towards him. His arms tightened around his shoulders as he lost his footing, eyes widening when lips pressed against own. Yuuri barely felt the thump of them hitting the floor, Viktor's hand having cradled his head to protect it from the stone beneath them. The two went tumbling onto the ground in a jumbled up mess of limbs, but Viktor couldn't care less at the moment- he clung on to this feeling of bliss that his soul thrived off of. All Yuuri could feel were the warm lips molding against his own, how he automatically responded and kissed him back, Viktor's cape draping them in warmth as they lay there. Yuuri didn't think his heart could beat the way it did, pushing against his chest happily.

            For so long, Viktor’s feelings had been neutral, so lackluster and dull. After any positive or negative event that occurred in his daily life, his brief joy or distress would pass and it'd reset back to that middle ground; it was neither high or low, almost like he was stuck in reverse. Except now... Viktor felt he'd been blessed with more emotions than he was honestly worthy of. There was glee, triumph, ecstasy, delight, each distinct feeling so strong that it made him tingle right down to his bones. Moreover, he felt like his soul could have been fragmented into tiny shards from the overload of euphoria. Everything felt so unbalanced and ethereal, yet, here he really was... right on _top_ of Yuuri, to be exact... _God, what was he doing?_ The kiss was beyond anything Yuuri could have imagined, it seemed to flow naturally like a river, any worries of whether he'd be good enough at it or not flew right out the window the second Viktor's lips had started moving against his own. Yuuri wanted to freeze time and just savor this moment, how happy he felt, how happy Viktor looked and felt, how his hands cradled him so gently and how warm his body was against him. _What is happening to me…?_ Yuuri idly thought, knowing the answer deep down. It was becoming more and more obvious, he was falling in love with the Durmstrang Captain. He tangled his fingers in the ponytail in Viktor's hair, running his fingers through the silver streams of hair and just feeling how real it all was.

            Viktor broke away for a second, though still keeping the space narrow. The night was suddenly so quiet and still, he can hear each of Yuuri's breaths with ease- even his breaths look like they've been well shaped into some form of art, his chest rising and falling with the sedative qualities similar to a lullaby. And not to mention, Yuuri's lashes, too. They looked as soft as silk, light as a feather. The moon that bathed over them like center stage fell over Yuuri's lashes, making his them glisten a brilliant hue. Viktor wanted to kiss each one of those eyelids and feel the playful tickle of them on his lips... or in other words, he didn't want to see those lashes damp after today. No, definitely not. The two just stared at each other, encased in a bubble no magic could replicate. Yuuri's lips were glistening slightly, his eyes slightly hooded after the surprise, his heart was racing and his breath was slightly rushed. But he couldn't tear his gaze away, Viktor hadn't looked so happy before...his smile was faint but it said a thousand words just by existing. His cheeks were like roses, painting the pale skin a soft pink.

            "Hmm, Yuuuri..." Viktor drawled, the faintest smile creeping upon his lips and taking over his fond facial expression. "You needn't be self-conscious about yourself- you're _so_ pretty, you know?"

            " _I’m_ pretty?" He asked, chuckling quietly. "Compared to you, Vitya...I am very average~ But it makes me happy knowing you think that of me..." Yuuri let a hand wander up to cup his cheek, his other still playing with his hair.

            "You're so happy...it's breathtaking...a-and I feel happy too. With you. This past week has been the best week of my life here at Hogwarts so far. I hope you can continue to be happy even after the tournament." _Right_ , Viktor thought, his thoughts drifting to the tournament. It was definitely going to be quite the experience... he'd been nothing but ecstatic for it at one point, hoping to finally be a part of something out of the ordinary. And now, he still was excited, but there was also a bit of dread and hesitation mixed in; when both of his competitors were friends of his that he'd hate to see get harmed, the Triwizard Tournament wouldn't exactly be the most entertaining thing ever. Plus, training started the very next day, meaning that it was less than 24 hours away. In less than a day, he'd have to get his priorities straight and actually focus on the academic aspect of things again. After the eventful and amazing past week, Viktor knew it was going to be difficult to concentrate on anything for a while. But for now, it didn't matter. He could save tomorrow's problems for tomorrow, because now he was back in the viewing tower with Yuuri and the two of them were lying on the ground hopelessly, exchanging tooth-rotting words. Yuuri closed the gap again, it was becoming addicting. He kept it short, pressing his lips firmly now instead of shyly against the other's. A message that he was serious, that he was beginning to figure out what was happening. He pulled away and smiled, wishing they could camp out on the tower and just lay in each other's arms star gazing...that would be amazing.

            It should have been laughable- how hopelessly romantic the both of them had been the whole day- but Viktor couldn't deny how much he loved this. To have Yuuri showering him with nice words and praise made Viktor feel overwhelmingly pleased. He could hear compliments on a daily basis, but the moment those same phrases came from Yuuri's mouth, every word- every syllable- was somehow different, a million times more eloquent and honest and beautiful. And then to be kissed so genuinely like this, with what felt like a whole canvas of emotions... Viktor felt as though this was what he'd been missing all along. This was a piece of the puzzle that he'd been subconsciously searching for, for so long; the part of him that'd been in denial that he even _was_ searching for anything. And finally, here it was- Yuuri, in the flesh and right before his eyes.

            "Ahh, well," Viktor said at last in a forced upbeat tone, unsure with the silence. What did Yuuri want to do? He'd always looked up to Viktor as an "idol," but now... did he even feel remotely close to the way Viktor did, or was it all just in Viktor's head?

            "I'm glad I've been of some help! Even in these short couple of days of getting to know you." Viktor chirped. Yuuri nuzzled their cheeks together, hugging the other close and pulling Viktor's Durmstrang cape closer around them both. His anxiety screamed at him to stop being so touchy-feely with Viktor, that Viktor actually didn’t want this and he was just being nice, but he ignored it for now. He shoved it down, because Yuuri wanted to keep feeling this happy, he didn’t want to let it go.

            "I hope I've been of some help to you too...I really want to keep getting to know you, the _real_ you, Viktor. The Viktor reporters don't get to see...I want to know of your dreams and ambitions, and try to help you achieve them." Yuuri confessed, raising his gaze to look at the other.

            "You know...when I first met you I thought I'd pass out in excitement. I thought I'd always see you as some Quidditch playing god." He laughed softly, as if it was some joke. And to him it was, how could he have seen Viktor as anything but human? It was ridiculous.

            "But...now; all I want to do is make you smile and stay up late talking...take adventures to Hogsmeade and dance with you, I want to experience life and share it with you if I can." Yuuri's mind finally caught up with him, and he knew if he kept going he might say things he wasn't ready to say yet. Feelings he hadn't sorted out. Blushing rather deeply he looked away, chuckling shyly.

            "S-Sorry I ranted...I hope that didn't come off as creepy. You're human...you deserve happiness...and when I consider someone a friend, when I _like_ someone as much as I like you, I'll work hard to make sure that person is happy." Viktor's warm body was still pressed against his, and he couldn't help but wish he wouldn't move...it felt nice to have someone close for once, when usually he shied away from affection due to his own insecurities. "It's only been a few days....it's like we're old souls meeting again or something. Weird how we just...get along so well~"

            Viktor listened to Yuuri mumble on, the tone of his voice a soft and soothing rumble like music to Viktor's ears. He then traced the other wizard's lip lightly with the tip of his finger, beckoning him to not apologize. His lip was in a slight pout, the tickle of his breath expelling from it ever so subtly. It felt slightly chapped under Viktor's feather light touch, but Viktor couldn't bring himself to care at all; it took all of his willpower to just fight the urge to bite those lips, to just kiss them again. Instead, he slowly removed himself from on top of Yuuri, situating himself on the ground right next to the other. He felt a million words to stick to his throat, plastering themselves to his windpipe and refusing to dispel into the air of silence between the two. Yuuri felt a finger trace over his lips, making him blush as he just stared up at Viktor. And for a moment he thought the other would kiss him again, and in his heart he wished he would, longing to feel the soft caress of Viktor's lips against his own. But instead the other got up, moving to lie beside him, and Yuuri watched Viktor for a response.

            It was so strange, Viktor agreed- a bit frightening, even- how he could go from being complete strangers with someone, to then being absolutely infatuated by them and wondering how it ever was that he hadn't found them years earlier. How he'd lived through almost eighteen years of his life without them, because he sure as hell couldn’t imagine being without them- with _Yuuri_ now. Viktor knew that they were both still young, that they'd undoubtedly be considered foolish and naive, but when it came to feeling as amazing as _this_ , he honestly couldn't care less. For a while it was silent, and although Yuuri knew that the other wasn't put off by his words, it still worried him some. Had he gone too far? They had only just met, he was just some sixteen year old, soon to be seventeen in a few weeks. Surely Viktor would see _him_ as ridiculous for feeling so strongly…right? Finally, Viktor managed to organize his wild thoughts well enough to speak, and stared up at the bed of stars above them, dazed.

            "You want to experience and share your life with me?" He asked, feeling his mouth curve into a crooked smile as searched for constellations hidden among the beaming lights in the sky. Yuuri raised his head too, wondering if he stared long enough he'd see what Viktor was seeing. To him it was a blanket of stars, hard to discern constellation from constellation, but beautiful none the less. And he could stare at it for hours honestly, loving how each star was different

            "That's more than okay. Hah... it's almost like a marriage proposal, isn't it?" He continued on, his teasing voice filled with relaxed joy and unrestrained mirth.

            "M-Marriage proposal?" Yuuri asked, snapping his eyes to him, but his voice and face was joyous, a relaxed and full grin.

            "Heh...I mean...when you put it like that...I guess it does sound something like that." He chuckled, and shyly laid his head on his shoulder.

            "Think of it as a promise. A promise that I'll be there for you...no matter the challenge, or how far away you are, you always have a home with me and in Japan." Yuuri reached down and held his hand, kissing the top of it.

            "Everyone deserves to enjoy themselves...to live life and love." He closed his eyes and just enjoyed being close to him. He knew he should sleep, get ready for the match tomorrow. But right now he just wanted to be with Viktor, they were in their own little world...if he could stop time he would. Just so they could take full advantage of the night and dance as long as they liked.

            "Yuuuri," Viktor protested at the kiss on the hand, feeling his face warm up just the slightest bit (it was a relief that the place was mostly dark). It was funny how things were now- he had never really been on the _receiving_ end of these gentle touches, or affection. Or even just a few simple, reassuring words that he never knew he'd needed. To be told that there would be somebody waiting for him at _home_ , always. Despite everything, and him being experienced in numerous aspects of education, Viktor was still just a teen who'd never known much more beyond magic, Quidditch, and how to speak with the media and press. Even as cunning as he may have come off to be, simple gestures from Yuuri were enough to send his chest tingling with tenderness and his heart almost racing. Even as playful and scatterbrained as he was, Viktor could still feel the air of genuine endearment looming over the two of them- a new and unique feeling that he wasn't quite used to yet, but didn't mind at all. Yuuri was too wonderful and this whole situation was a mess, but at the same time, it seemed too good to be true.

            "Yuuri," Viktor repeated again, finding a homey comfort in just letting the name roll of his tongue. "You're so cheesy..." He chuckled quietly, craning his neck to face the other. "But so am I. We'd make the grossest duo!"

            Yuuri laughed softly when the other whined, Viktor was flustered? That was...actually really adorable. The fact that he had the power to make Viktor get a little shy made him feel better about a lot of things. Usually he was the one blushing and whining, but now Viktor was calling him cheesy and saying how gross they'd be, his voice cheerful and joking.

            "Oh you know it...so gross. I bet Yuri would puke if he saw us~" Yuuri laughed, and squeezed his hand. "You're pretty cheesy too though, tackling me in your arms to kiss me? How romantic Viktor Nikiforov~ And cheesy." He teased, looking up at him.

            "I wish I had known you sooner..." Yuuri confessed, heart beginning to race again. "You make me really happy, I'm touched you see something in me~ Something that deserves attention and praise, that you want to help coach me for the tournament. You're really kind." He praised Viktor, and nuzzled his shoulder.

            "I promise that I'll try my hardest in the tournament to be a worthy opponent. Or die trying. The Goblet chose me for a reason, and I'll be damned if I fail because I didn't try. If I'm going to be in this with you and Mila, I want to be your equals and prove to everyone I am just as powerful as you two."

            Hearing Yuuri's words brought an overwhelming sense of joy and determination to Viktor, the feeling absolute and just _amazing_. It felt as though his heart was dancing inside his chest, like he was on the top of the world and yet his heart was constricting and he was being deprived of all oxygen. It was a peculiar feeling, yet somehow, it was so _right_ ; something that Viktor knew couldn't be replicated with anything or anyone else.

            "I already know you're just as strong as any of us," He said, his lips slightly pursed, concealing a smile. "So let's get out there in three weeks, and show the world Yuuri Katsuki's true abilities." Yuuri smiled softly, giving a nod before hugging Viktor close, head on his shoulder.

            "Yes...let's show them that we make a good team...that the three champions chosen were meant to be, all of us." He felt more determined now than ever to prove himself to Viktor, to work hard. _Three weeks,_ Viktor thought. It seemed like an eternity away at the moment, but in the blink of an eye, the day would be here and the Triwizard Tournament would have officially started; a competition that Viktor had always imagined being part of, but thought could only ever be the source of one's pipe dreams. Never did he expect any of this week to happen. To take a fall off his broom only to be saved by somebody who made him feel this radiant and _alive_ , to look into the Mirror of Erised and be completely puzzled by his reflection, to miraculously be one of the three chosen for the Triwizard Tournament. Viktor was extremely fortunate, and he too, would show his gratitude by trying his best to fight through each and every task alongside Yuuri and Mila.

            "Oh," Viktor said, his head perking up and realizing how late it must've been now. The two had been talking for quite a while, and this whole experience had been astonishing. But as much as he wanted to continue, both of them had responsibilities and the day that lay ahead of them would be a serious handful. "Hmm, time passed by too quickly. We should head back soon."

            "Tomorrow after the game I'll be by the lagoon practicing magic. If you wish to coach you me you can find me there, but if you're tired after the game I understand, you don't have to push yourself too hard." He assured, and looked up at the stars, frowning when Viktor relented that it was getting late and they should head back.

            "I wish I could stop time..." Yuuri whispered. "That way we talk for as long as we wanted and never have to worry...but there are no spells for that. None that I know of at least." He slowly got up, offering Viktor a hand and pulling him up as well.

            "U-Um...Viktor?" He asked shyly, looking down as he scoot closer. "...Thank you for tonight...the kiss was nice...all of them are. I really like kissing you, and I say that because I've never been like this with anyone, and I’m not very physically affectionate...so feeling _this_ comfortable with you is new and a bit scary. But I like it." He raised his head and gave a smile, eyes bright for the first time in days.

            "I feel like you've given me part of your starlight, so that I too can shine." Yuuri leaned up once more, cupping Viktor's face and kissing him softly, lips just pressed against his, fully. He felt wind rush around them and some lights spark from his hands, making him giggle some as he pecked his lips before pulling away. _Starlight?_ Viktor wanted to swoon.

            "Mm, very poetic. But no need to give me any thanks... Your shine— it's all you, Yuuri," Viktor replied, as Yuuri released the kiss and offered his hand. Tiny neon sparks buzzed from it, dancing on his palm in energetic motions. Yuuri felt himself smile even more if that was possible. It was all him? Somehow he believed it when Viktor said it, and this feeling of confidence wasn't something he had often, so he wouldn't question it.

            "Let's head back...we have a competition tomorrow~" Yuuri cooed, offering his hand. Viktor took the hand in less than a heartbeat, feeling something like electricity shoot through him. A pleased expression splattered across his face as he contemplated the idea of him and Yuuri— _together._ It sounded extraordinarily amazing, but just equally as surreal. Honestly speaking, would things ever progress farther than this? Could there really ever be a "them," to begin with? A million questions popped into his head, but he avoided trying too hard to come up with answers— it wasn't like him to overthink things anyway. Maybe if he ignored them for long enough, they'd resolve themselves... didn't time heal all, anyway?

            “Alright," Viktor said, taking a last look at the tower— they might not be able to come back here for a while, with the initiation of training for the tournament, and the increased intensity and pressure of school. He led them out, exiting the place and reentering the castle. Yuuri wondered if they were falling in love, if this is what it felt like. Terrifying but exciting, confusing but still making sense. For a moment Yuuri felt that maybe it could happen...him and Viktor, together, in a relationship. But would Viktor settle for someone like him? Sure he was proving to be someone that could handle Viktor, but he wasn't nearly as strong as him, not a match for his finesse and strength in the Dark Arts. What would Viktor even _want_ in a lover? He decided not to dwell on it lest he get his hopes up

            "Well, we're here again," Viktor said, once they were back in the same hallway they'd been in the first night— it was incredible what'd happened since. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he took both of Yuuri's hands, lifting them up between the two of them. His eyes lit up into an almost sickeningly bright blue, pupils dilated with eagerness. As they entered the hall they stopped in front of a large window, moonlight streaming through and turning Viktor's hair white, his eyes practically glowing as he gazed at Yuuri intensely.

            "Oh, Yuuri! I'll sing you a lullaby now so you can fall asleep quick and easy tonight!"

            "A-A lullaby?" Yuuri asked, having never been asked that before. But he found the offer too sweet to dismiss.

            "Sure~" He cooed, and put up the usual 'Muffliato' spell to silence their conversation.

            "That's really sweet of you, Viktor. Thank you." At Yuuri's approval, a smug smile made its way onto Viktor's lips and he tossed his head back, clearing his throat. He'd never sang much at all, only occasionally hummed along to Russian songs, to which he'd oddly receive nervous chuckles and praise from everyone who was around him (he took that as a good sign).

            "Now," He said with an air of somehow both confidence and uneasiness in his tone. "I don't remember the words of many English lullabies, but rest assured that this will put you to sleep in no time!" He then took a step back, Yuuri's hands still in his, and tried his best at summoning the words of the first, most popular song that came to him.

            "Twinkle, twinkle.. sta- little star!" Viktor began jarring out, already having forgotten some of the words and then immediately recalling them again, leading him to stumble over the line. "How _I wonder_ what you are..." He was unintentionally putting emphasis on the wrong parts of the song, and it probably sounded just _a bit_ off-key, but he continued nevertheless. It couldn't have sounded too terrible, could it?

            "Up above the world so h.. high," He continued on, taking a meeker approach this time and now sounding quite tuneless- had singing always been this much of a struggle?- "How I wonder what you are!" His voice rolled across the hall in shaky waves, definitely clear but not the smoothest; only to realize he'd missed a whole line of the song.

            "Oh, no- uh, twinkle, twinkle little star!" Viktor finished off, the former assertive smile on his face having morphed into a hopeful expression. Yuuri hadn't known what he expected, but this wasn't it. He was terrible...absolutely off key, but he couldn't help but giggle as he listened. Oh lord he was trying so hard! And he was singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' none the less! Viktor Nikiforov, genius in Dark Arts, Quidditch, and academia, couldn't sing. It seemed ironic almost. But he sounded so confident at first, as he finished Yuuri couldn't help but notice that he sounded a little nervous at the end despite his assertive smile.

            "Thank you, Vitya...~" He cooed, and squeezed his hands, stepping forward. "That was good! Would...you like to hear a lullaby too?" He asked, smiling softly.

            "That was cute, I really liked it~ Not quite how the lullaby goes, but you put your own spin on it!" He praised. Viktor let out a relieved sigh, thankful that Yuuri had looked passed his not-very-phenomenal singing and had just appreciated the little gesture-- even if his singing would probably make it more difficult to fall asleep, rather than easier. _Damn,_ Viktor thought, eyes looking upwards slightly in puzzled thought. Had he really sounded that bad before? He'd never paid much notice to it before, but... _those laughs must have been pity laughs all along, then._ Letting a frustrated huff escape, Viktor pouted and gazed intently at Yuuri.

            "Yeah... hey, I really _can_ sing... I-I just needed to warm up. That's all!" Even though that was a giant fib and it was definitely confirmed that he couldn't belch out a single syllable of any song in-tune, Viktor was still competitive and poised; being such a _loser_ was already embarrassing enough, and not to mention in front of Yuuri. Sure, Viktor had been told that it was "cute," but the other male must have been holding back a fit of laughter by now.

            "I guess... if you want to try to get onto my musical level," He mumbled, a playful undertone in his voice. Although, he knew that Yuuri probably had an angelic, melodious singing voice compared to his own hideously jumbled up warble of words. Yuuri chuckled at how Viktor pouted, reaching up and patting his cheek gently.

            "Heey, it's okay." He said. "I really did like it...it's sweet you sung for me." He assured, and laughed quietly at his playful remark, he stood back and took a few deep breaths, blushing deeply.

            "I um...I-I haven't sang in a while, I haven't warmed up like you either. So um...bear with me. This is a lullaby my mother used to sing to me as a child, it never really leaves you. I hum it sometimes when I'm sad." He took a moment to hum, getting the words before he began to sing softly, the Japanese language coming fluidity off his tongue. It was a song of peace and serenity, calm thoughts and rest. His voice shook lightly, nervous as he didn't sing in front of people, but he was trying his best. It sounded okay he thought, nothing like how his mother sang though, she had such a melodic voice.

            Yuuri's voice was smooth and clear and quiet, yet somehow powerful— like it sunk into Viktor's chest and messed with his heart, but in the best way imaginable. And here he thought he was the playboy, when Yuuri's ethereal singing alone could quite literally sweep anybody off their feet (or maybe it was just Viktor). Softness and tenderness overtook his initially anxious tone as the song progressed, and it became even more soothing. Viktor knew not many around him would call a guy's voice beautiful, but Yuuri's was just that, plus so much more. It was the promise of tomorrow. It wasn't anything extravagant or extremely skillful; Viktor couldn't even understand the lyrics, but at the same time, he was so _hypnotized_ by it— the voice of music and grace itself, traces of sorrow lingering behind the notes and making him feel oddly nostalgic. He wished that the song would never end.

            “Wow...” Viktor gaped as the song came to a close. “Yuuri, amazing!” He clapped giddily, the beauty of the Japanese song still not completely sunken in. He did, however, decide that he definitely liked hearing Yuuri speak in his native tongue— the eloquence and subtle change in his tone of voice was mesmerizing. Yuuri smiled as he was praised, pushing his glasses further up on his face.

            "R-Really? Thank you~" He said, accepting the compliment. "I hope it helps you sleep, it's about happy thoughts and calm feelings. Something we need~" He said, and sighed as he realized he really should get to bed.

            “Happy thoughts and calm feelings, hmm?” Viktor responded, thoughts drifting back to the upcoming training and tournament. Which, speaking of, he needed to start thinking about soon, seeing as the first task was already complicated enough as it was; but to incorporate a successful, safe balance of fighting and teamwork would undoubtedly be quite the challenge. Everything had to be flawless, or it could all come crashing down. He really did need those happy thoughts right now. Deciding not to dwell too much on the endless list of possibilities though, Viktor gave in to Yuuri's gentle touch with a slow nod

            "I'll see you tomorrow before the match? I want to wish you good luck." Yuuri said, reaching forward and tucking some of Viktor's hair behind his ear so he could see both of his eyes. He would never tire of gazing into them, so warm and open, he wondered if anyone else saw Viktor's gaze like this.

            “Yeah, see you in the morning,” Viktor said, his nose scrunching up slightly as he grinned. “Thank you, by the way. Today has been an adventure.”

            Yuuri laughed softly as Viktor thanked him, and stepped closer again. "It's not a problem...thank you for coming into my life and giving me adventure. This has been the most fulfilling week at Hogwarts I've ever had." _And will ever have_ , Yuuri thought. His mind screamed at him to go the hell to bed, to sleep because he had to get up for the match tomorrow. But his heart yearned to fall asleep next to Viktor, to kiss his head goodnight and hold him in his arms. But that wasn't something he could have, not right now. He couldn't let his thoughts get ahead of him like this no matter what his heart desired.

            "Good night...sleep well." Yuuri cooed, and leaned up, pecking his lips. "Sweet dreams, Vitya~" He cooed, and then backed off before giving a smile and a wave and turning to leave. As he walked he felt something warm pressing against his chest, and he blinked as he realized it was the ring he had gotten from his own reflection in the Room of Requirements. Once he had slid inside the Slytherin Commons safely, he pulled the ring out from underneath his shirt, it hung on the leather string elegantly, and he noticed it was different. The engraving from before was glowing some, it was just a simple snowflake. At least that was what Yuuri had thought at first, but as he leaned closer he saw the designs around the snowflake were runes, ones he recognized. They were his family runes, characters used in healing incantations and spells. His eyes widened as the lights and warmth slowly faded, but the feel of the ring was immensely different. This piece of gold had power to heal behind it, and a strong power at that. Yuuri was adept at energy work, feeling the energies in objects and deciphering what kind of energy it was, harnessing the energy for magic however was something different. All he knew was that he had to keep this ring safe, and never let it out of his sight. His reflection had given it to him for a reason. _You’ll know when to use it._ He remembered the reflection saying, he put the ring back in his shirt, eyebrows furrowed as he got ready for bed and crawled under the sheets.

            Whatever the ring was for…he was going to need it rather soon, that he was sure of.  

 


	8. UPDATES

Hi everyone!! It's Dark_Sea_Dragon, it's been a while since we've updated the fic, and I'm here to explain why! 

h2hoe and I are both in college! So as finals are rearing their ugly heads shit is hitting the fan (for me at least...), and it leaves me little time to do anything besides schoolwork. I do plan on updating soon with a fun chapter from Phichit's POV! Maybe some fun between him and Chris, just to tide everyone over until h2hoe and I have some more time to start collaborating again~ 

Thank you all so much for the support! The comments and kudos really keep us going! This fic isn't discontinued, just on hiatus for a little bit! 

See you next level! 

~ Dark_Sea_Dragon


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